New Jersey doctor explains how extended period of dry weather can increase respiratory problems
Nine-year-old Bryce Shaw loves being outside with his mom in South Jersey throwing around a baseball but lately, it's been difficult.
"It's like hard to breathe," said Bryce Shaw.
The third-grader and his mom Michelle Shaw both have asthma.
"It's scary to me, you know, I have to wake up and I could say 'Wow, I'm wheezing.'" she said.
Doctors said the extended period of dry air during this drought has triggered an increase in respiratory problems.
"We're seeing a bit of an uptick in patients with respiratory disease coming in with what we call an exacerbation or sort of a worsening of their asthma or COPD," said Dr. Heather Giannini, a pulmonologist at Virtua Health.
Giannini said the dry air inside and outside is full of dust and other substances.
"It's more of these allergens enter their lungs, irritate the lungs, sets off an inflammatory process, and then can trigger what we call bronchospasm where the airways get tight," said Giannini. "That's when they start to feel wheezing, shortness of breath, difficulty getting those breaths in and out."
Michelle Shaw uses a nebulizer with medication to help clear her airways.
"My coughing, my wheezing, shortness of breath has been subsided," she said.
Bryce Shaw uses an albuterol inhaler every morning before going outside.
"It's like calms you down and it's easier to breathe," he said.
Doctors also said humidifiers inside the house can help offset this dry weather and so can steam from a hot shower.