The warm weather officially has arrived! Trees are blooming and the scent of freshly mown lawns is in the air. But for those of us with asthma and allergies, spring also means trouble breathing, itchy eyes and lots of sneezing. Do you have trouble catching your breath when you’re exercising or are around people who smoke? Does your child struggle to breathe or cough a lot when he or she plays outside or with the family dog? You and your child might be one of 300 million people worldwide who suffer from asthma.

Asthma is caused by swelling in your airways, which makes it difficult to breath. Avoiding common triggers like pollen, dust, mold, pets and smoking can greatly reduce asthma symptoms.

Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, in partnership with the Medical College of Wisconsin, is offering free asthma screenings this Saturday, May 16. These simple screenings will take less than 10 minutes, and include a brief questionnaire and a breathing test.

Our allergy and asthma specialists care for adults and children. I hope you’ll stop by one of our screening sites:

10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, May 16
Pettit National Ice Center, 500 S. 84th St., Milwaukee
or
Walgreens, 3855 S. Moorland Road, New Berlin

We want to help you breathe easier.