The Asthma Society of Ireland has warned that emergency hospital admissions for children with asthma increase significantly in the month of September.

The Society is providing training and support free of charge to help parents and teachers at this time.

According to 2013 figures, hospital admissions for children suffering with asthma aged between five-14 years rose from 41 admissions in August to 143 in September. In the same year, the average length of hospital stays increased by 51% - from 1.41 days in August to 2.14 days in September.

Asthma affects one in five children in Ireland.

To combat this spike in hospital admissions during 'back-to-school' time, the Asthma Society is hosting a series of free asthma management clinics at town centres nationwide, with dedicated visits to primary schools, from September 15 to 26.

The Asthma Society says parents and teachers to be vigilant for asthma triggers at this time of year and is urging all those looking after children with asthma to put an asthma management plan in place both at home and at school.

Frances Guiney, asthma nurse specialist with the Society said: "These are stark figures; the month of September is clearly a dangerous time for children with asthma with significant spikes in hospital admissions. Furthermore, our own research shows that children miss 10 days of school each year due to asthma."

"Asthma is a very controllable condition, and many of these emergency situations can be avoided with the right support systems in place. It is imperative that parents and teachers empower children with an asthma management plan to achieve maximum control over the condition and cope with the onset of any asthma symptoms."

Further details about the free asthma management clinics are available at www.asthma.ie