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Springtime Asthma Brings More Kids to ER

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-970011.mp3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Now that spring is underway, asthma is bringing a growing number of children to the emergency room.

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About one in ten kids has asthma.

Despite efforts to help manage the illness, Children's Mercy Hospital has experienced a spike in asthma-related ER visits over the last few weeks, seeing about four to five kids a day.

But the hospital's asthma and allergy chief, Dr. Jay Portnoy, says he's is not surprised.

"Yeah, it's predictable," says Dr. Portnoy. "We pretty much know when allergy and asthma season is going to be."

Adults are more likely to suffer asthma attacks this time of year, too. The KCMO health department is not entirely sure why these seasonal spikes occur, but Dr. Portnoy says trees, grass, and mold are largely to blame.

"The amount of pollen that plants produce has been increasing over last 15 years in response to increasing carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere," says Dr. Portnoy.

And, that asthma-triggering pollen peaks around this time of year. In fact, Dr. Portnoy says the tree pollen count hit a regional all-time high of 4,000 last month.

The end of September is an even busier time for asthma flareups, according to Dr. Portnoy. Overall, though, he says asthma is the number two reason for why kids end up in the ER.

Reason number one?

Dr. Portnoy: "How do you beat the common cold?"

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