EMSA reported having three "Asthma Alarm” days in the last week of August.
That means the number of those asthma sufferers, who needed medical emergency treatment, were high.
On August 26th, 20 calls went out for asthma treatment, on the 27th there were 11 calls and on the 28th there were 12 calls. On that same Tuesday, 11-year-old Alejandro Valdovinos also suffered an asthma attack during his after-school football practice.
“The heat was really hot and we had our pads and our helmet it on, I was running a lot,” said Valdovinos. “My chest starting hurting really bad and I could feel my throat starting to close up, so I told the coach.”
His mother was there and gave him his inhaler.
He describes what the attack feel like for him.
“It was like whenever something heavy falls on your chest but it stays there instead of you pushing it off,” said Valdovinos.
Dr. Lodie Naimeh with the Tulsa Allergy Clinic said with the high temperatures, the humidity, the rain, and the rag weed, that is a quadruple threat to those asthma sufferers.
“If temperature goes up by ten degrees, or humidity by ten percent, you have double or triple the number of asthma emergency visits,” said Dr. Naimeh.
In order for Valdovinos to keep tackling, he’ll continue to tell the coach when it hurts, that way he can stay in the game.
