What every parent needs to know about Childhood Asthma

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What every parent needs to know about Childhood
Asthma

• This program is brought to you by Allies Against
  Asthma, a workgroup of the Consortium for Infant
  and Child Health (CINCH), to improve the quality
  of life for children with asthma in Hampton
  Roads.
• Disclaimer Healthy Kids Kit for Asthma is an
  educational tool created with the purpose of
  sharing facts about asthma in our communities. It
  does not attempt to provide medical advice.

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Asthma in the U.S.

• Asthma has been diagnosed in over 31 million
  people in the U.S.
• Asthma rates are higher among African Americans
  and children 0 -17 years of age
• Asthma is a leading cause of school absences
• Reference Center for Disease Control
  Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health
• Statistics, Asthma Prevalence, Health Care Use
  and Mortality, 2000-2001.

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Asthma in the U.S.

• Asthma is expensive
• In 2000, 1.8 million emergency room visits and
  about 465,000 hospitalizations were due to asthma
• Nearly 5,000 people died of asthma in 2000.
• Reference Center for Disease Control
  Prevention (CDC), National Center for Health
• Statistics, Asthma Prevalence, Health Care
  Use and Mortality, 2000-2001.

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Asthma in Hampton Roads

• In 1998, over 55,000 people were diagnosed with
  asthma1
• Almost 20,000 (or 36) of those diagnosed were
  children under the age of 181
• In 1999, over 2,000 people were hospitalized due
  to asthma2
• 943 (or 43.5) of those hospitalized were
  children2
• Reference 1. American Lung Association Estimated
  Prevalence and Incidence of Lung Disease by
  Lung Association Territory, April 2001.
• 2. Virginia Asthma Coalition Asthma
  Data Hampton Roads Virginia Health Districts
• http//lungusa.org/virginia/vac/st
  ate_hampton.html

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Did you know

• Asthma is a physical condition
• People who suffer from allergies are more likely
  to have asthma
• You cannot catch asthma from another person

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Did you know

• Children and adults die of asthma every year
• Children do not outgrow asthma
• Asthma cannot be cured but it can be controlled
• Children with asthma need to see their doctor
  regularly, even if they are feeling well

7
Reference Illustration used with permission
from John F. Hunt, MD, Assistant Professor of
Pediatrics Faculty, Asthma and Allergic Disease
Center, Childrens Medical Center of the
University of Virginia.
8
Reference Illustration used with permission
from John F. Hunt, MD, Assistant Professor of
Pediatrics Faculty, Asthma and Allergic Disease
Center, Childrens Medical Center of the
University of Virginia.
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Asthma Triggers
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Early Warning Signs

• Coughing
• Feeling tired
• Itchy-watery eyes
• Runny-stuffy nose
• Headache

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Symptoms

• Wheezing
• Persistent cough
• Shortness of breath
• Chest soreness-tightness

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Controlling Asthma

• Know and avoid triggers
• Take asthma medication as directed
• Do not smoke in the house
• Visit your doctor every 3 to 6 months
• Children with asthma, and their regular
  caregivers, should get a flu shot every year

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Asthma Medication

• There are two types of asthma medicine
• Relievers are taken as needed to quickly relieve
  asthma symptoms.
• Controllers are taken every day to prevent
  symptoms from starting.

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When to Call Your Doctor

• Missing school more than twice a month
• Unable to participate in regular physical
  activity
• Symptoms get worse
• Coughing at night
• Needing reliever medication every day for more
  than 2 days and not getting better

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Information to Share

• Medical condition, such as asthma
• What medications the child is taking
• When to give medications
• Where to reach parent or guardian
• Emergency instructions, for example childs
  doctor name and number