Common colds at school a primary driver of asthma hospitalizations for children

Children with asthma tend to have the worst symptoms at the same times each year — when school starts in the fall and after extended breaks such as Spring Break. Researchers previously speculated that environmental factors such as air quality in schools might be to blame, but a new study confirms that the primary driver of seasonal waves of worsening asthma symptoms, which can lead to hospitalizations, is the common cold.