Dust Storm–Associated Pediatric Allergic Morbidity in Primary Care in Chicago, Illinois

We examined the effect of a rare Midwestern dust storm on pediatric allergic morbidity in a Chicago, Illinois primary care setting. As climate and land-use changes expand the geographic range of dust storm activity, primary care clinicians will increasingly encounter environmentally triggered asthma and allergy exacerbations. We performed a retrospective analysis of daily clinic visits before and after the May 16, 2025 dust storm and observed an increase in allergy-related visits, with a significant increase in the first 3 days after the storm. Visit diagnoses included eczema, asthma/reactive airway disease, allergic rhinitis, allergic conjunctivitis, allergic dermatitis, and seasonal allergies. By focusing on primary care rather than emergency department visits, this work highlights the broader burden of dust-related allergic morbidity in the pediatric population. These findings underscore the need for primary care preparedness and community-level mitigation strategies as extreme weather events become more frequent.