May is National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, and pediatricians are seeing the usual late-spring uptick in wheezing, coughing, and nighttime flare-ups. About 1 in 12 U.S. children has asthma, and roughly 80% of those kids have allergies that set off symptoms. A quick check-in with your pediatrician to refresh your child's Asthma Action Plan can make the rest of pollen season much smoother.
Tuesday, May 12, 2026Asthma & Allergies
Helping Kids Breathe Easier This Spring
Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month is a good moment to revisit your child's plan
The Teddy Editorial Desk · Grounded in AAP & CDC guidance
In Brief
The Briefing
Explainer
Is It a Cold or an Asthma Flare?
Frequent coughing at night, wheezing, or shortness of breath during play often point to asthma rather than a cold. When in doubt, call your pediatrician.
Guidance
Refresh Your Asthma Action Plan
An Asthma Action Plan tells you exactly what to do on green, yellow, and red days. Spring is a great time to review it with your pediatrician.
Tips
Pollen-Proof the Bedroom
Closing windows on high-count days, washing bedding weekly in hot water, and a quick rinse-off before bed can cut nighttime triggers.
How-To
Spacers Make Inhalers Work Better
Kids of any age using a metered-dose inhaler should pair it with a spacer (and a mask for little ones). It delivers more medicine to the lungs and less to the mouth.
School
Schools Can Help
Most states allow children to carry and use their inhalers at school. Share an updated Asthma Action Plan with the school nurse each spring.
Questions
What Parents Are Asking
For the Clinic
Clinic Takeaway
Use Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month as a built-in nudge: run a registry query for asthma patients without a visit in the last 6 months or with 2+ rescue-inhaler refills, and send a short outreach message inviting a spring tune-up. Pair each visit with an updated, printed Asthma Action Plan the family can share with school — a small workflow change that meaningfully reduces ED visits.
Source: AAP asthma management in schools; NHLBI EPR-3
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