Transcript CAUSES - NIU College of Education

ASTHMA
The symptoms of asthma are caused when
airways narrow and become inflamed.
ALLERGIC TRIGGERS
Pollens
House dust mites
Animal dander
Mold spores (indoor and outdoor)
Cockroaches
NON ALLERGIC TRIGGERS
Air Pollution
Fumes
Perfumes
Household cleaning agents
Insecticides
Fresh paint
Tobacco smoke
Infection
DIAGNOSIS
Doctor or nurse use a device called peak flow meter.
This measures how much, how fast, air can be expelled
from lungs.
This gives a measure of how severely breathing is
affected. If measured regularly, over time, these readings
can also help reveal how well or badly the asthma is
being controlled.
A child can be diagnosed with asthma if he/she has
inhaled something that blocks the airways.
In some adults, the symptoms of asthma may be a sign
of heart disease, especially if wheeziness occurs when
there has never been an asthma attack in the past. Heart
failure can cause congestion (excess fluid) of the lungs,
and have symptoms similar to asthma.
TREATMENT
Try to avoid anything that might make
asthma worse, or bring on an attack.
Measure peak flow regularly, especially
first thing in the morning, is a useful way of
monitoring the condition and checking
whether any treatments are helping
Most common way is an inhaler which
delivers a measured dose of medicine.
A reliever medicine opens up airways.
MANAGING ASTHMA
You can control it yourself to a large degree.
Plan ahead. Always have your reliever available to help
yourself when you feel the symptoms coming on.
Talk to your doctor and find other information to help you
understand what might be causing the asthma, and how
to avoid the triggers.
In the year 2000, nearly 5,000 Americans died due to
asthma-related problems
Most common chronic illness among children
and a leading cause of school absences.
MANAGING ASTHMA
Minimize outdoor activities when pollen counts are high.
Peak pollen times are usually between 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Keep your car windows closed when traveling
Try to stay indoors when humidity is reported to be high,
and on windy days when dust and pollen are blown
about
Take a shower after spending time outside—pollen can
collect on your skin and hair
Consult an allergist/immunologist, who can evaluate your
history and conduct tests to find out if your asthma
needs to be managed more effectively. They will help
you develop an asthma action plan to manage your
symptoms
EDUCATION
IMPLEMENTATION OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS:
A a comprehensive asthma program to identify students
with asthma, coordinate their care with medical providers
and develop a school asthma registry
An indoor air-quality management program for 26
schools to reduce asthma triggers in the school
environment
Asthma training for all teachers and staff in childdevelopment centers and posting of asthma emergency
protocols in every classroom
Asthma emergency care programs
SCHOOLS
More incidence of asthma in schools
More students using nebulizers
Forty years ago boys with asthma
outnumbered girls by two to one, but the
latest figures suggested that the two sexes
were almost equal
Highest rate of teenage asthma now
SMOKING
Children with asthma whose parents smoke at home are
twice as likely to have asthma symptoms all year long
than children of non-smokers, a new study shows.
About 13 percent of parents of asthmatic children still
smoke — even though second-hand smoke is known to
trigger asthma attacks and symptoms in kids.
The chronic condition affects one in every seven
children.
Substances in the air that can bring on an asthma attack
include dust, pollen, pet dander, stress, cockroach
droppings, mold, air pollution, exercise, cold air — and
second-hand smoke.
WHO DOES IT AFFECT?
All age groups
As many as 20 percent of children in some low-income,
black and Hispanic urban neighborhoods
6 percent to 8 percent of children generally
Twelve of every 1,000 black children through age 4 visit
a hospital for asthma in Michigan each year, compared
with three in 1,000 white children.
5,000,000 children are affected
There is no causal link between alcohol consumption
during pregnancy and asthma during childhood
CURRENT FOCUS
Asthma rates have been climbing the past
15 years.
Estimates for direct and indirect costs of
caring for patients with asthma is $12.6
billion each year.
EXERCISE
The condition should not limit people's physical activities.
Children with asthma are less active than their peers by
around half an hour a day on average.
More than 20% of the children with asthma were not
reaching the goal of normal physical activity.
One in five parents believe that exercise was dangerous
for their child and a quarter afraid that their child would
get sick if they exercised.
Experts reiterate the importance of physical activity for
children with asthma.
TECHNOLOGY
Profile has developed a platform of delivery
devices for respiratory drugs, including a novel
hand-held nebuliser called ProDose
Designed to automatically respond to a patients'
breathing patterns to deliver a precise dose
synchronised with the patient's inhalation cycle
Children being monitored at home via virtual
visits with case managers over the Web
WHAT SCHOOLS CAN DO
Identify students' known asthma triggers and eliminate
as many as possible. For example, keep animals with fur
out of the classroom. Consult the students' asthma
management plans for guidance.
Use wood, tile or vinyl floor coverings instead of
carpeting.
Schedule maintenance or pest control that involves
strong irritants and odors for times when students are
not in the area and the area can be well ventilated.
Adjust schedules for students whose asthma is
worsened by pollen or cold air. A midday or indoor
physical education class may allow more active
participation.
Help students follow their asthma management plans.
These plans are designed to keep asthma under control.
ASTHMA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Brief history of the student's asthma.
Asthma symptoms.
Information on how to contact the student's health care
provider, parent/guardian.
Physician and parent/guardian signature.
List of factors that make the student's asthma worse.
The student's personal best peak flow reading if the
student uses peak flow monitoring.
List of the student's asthma medications.
A description of the student's treatment plan, based on
symptoms or peak flow readings, including
recommended actions for school personnel to help
handle asthma episodes.
CHILD’S ACTION PLAN
Warning signs of an asthma attack. List specific
symptoms that signal your child's asthma attacks.
Steps you and your child can take to manage an
attack. Know ahead of time what medications you
have on hand that you can use during an asthma
attack.
How to recognize and handle a serious attack. Know
how to assess whether your child needs urgent
medical care. List criteria for determining the degree
of your child's breathing difficulty.
When emergency care is needed and what to do.
Write down the warning signs of a life-threatening
asthma attack. List emergency phone numbers and
the location of the nearest hospital.
RESOURCES
WWW.ASTHMA.ORG.UK
WWW.NIAID.NIH.GOV/
WWW.THEBODY.COM/NIAID.NIAID.HTM
WWW.VRC.NIH.GOV
WWW.ALTANA.DE
AMERICAN THORACIC SOCIETY
RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS
The Allergy and Asthma Cure: A Complete
Eight-Step Nutritional Program
Reversing Asthma : Breathe Easier with This
Revolutionary New Program
Asthma for Dummies
What Your Doctor May Not tell You About
Children's Allergies and Asthma: Simple
Steps to Help Stop Attacks and Improve Your
Child's Health
AMERICAN THORACIC SOCIETY