Return to School and Its Impact on Childhood Infections and Asthma Emergencies

As children head back to school, there is a notable rise in infections and asthma-related emergencies among young students. A recent study from Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin sheds light on how neighborhood conditions significantly influence these seasonal health challenges. The research highlights that children living in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods experience a disproportionately higher rate of asthma flare-ups triggered by viral infections such as colds and the flu during the first weeks of school.

Led by epidemiologist Darlene Bhavnani, the study analyzed emergency department visit data from Texas’s four largest cities, encompassing over 3,000 neighborhoods between 2016 and 2019. The findings confirm that asthma-related ER visits spike each year with the school start, but this increase is markedly more severe in communities facing higher poverty levels and social vulnerability. This suggests that residing in under-resourced areas may elevate children's risk of contracting infections that exacerbate asthma.

The research also emphasizes the role of environmental factors, such as crowded classrooms, environmental stress, and limited access to sick leave among caregivers, which facilitate the spread of viruses and hinder recovery. Bhavnani underscores that the back-to-school period should not automatically lead to increased hospital visits. Instead, there needs to be a focus on improving the environments children return to, whether at home or school, to mitigate these health risks.

For parents of children with asthma, proactive measures are recommended: updating asthma action plans with healthcare providers, ensuring school staff are informed of triggers and medication needs, and advocating for healthier school and neighborhood environments. Recognizing these risks enables families and communities to better protect children’s respiratory health during this critical transition period.

This study reinforces the importance of addressing social and environmental factors in managing childhood asthma and preventing preventable hospital visits, especially during seasonal surges linked to the start of the new school year.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-school-infections-asthma-emergencies-kids.html