Sunday, September 18, 2005

Managing asthma in children

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Back-to-school time is ideal for addressing issues of managing the disease with your children. Asthma is the leading cause of preventable school absences, and while 17 percent of all pubic school students have asthma, only about 28 percent of schools educate students about how to cope with the disease.

• Ask your child's doctor for an "asthma action plan," which informs parents, teachers, coaches and others about caring for a child and making sure he or she has a happy, active life. A free plan is available online at www.alam.org.

• Keep the plan on file in a school office and review it with appropriate officials and teachers.

• Make sure your child knows where his or her asthma inhaler is at all times.

• If you and your child's doctor agree, send a permission slip to school so your child can carry the inhaler. A recent state law requires schools to allow asthmatic students to carry their inhaler.

• Provide schools with emergency contact information.

• Ask schools to improve air quality by reducing emissions from buses and using the least toxic substances to manage pests.

Source: American Lung Association of Michigan

Worst cities for asthmatics

Michigan ranks fourth among the 50 states in the prevalence of asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America ranks the worst 100 cities for asthmatics, based on a number of criteria, including prevalence; risk factors such as pollen seasons, air quality and ozone days; and public smoking laws. The worst 20 cities for asthmatics:

Knoxville, Tenn.

Memphis, Tenn

Louisville, Ky.

Toledo, Ohio

Washington, D.C.

St. Louis

Allentown, Pa.

Springfield, Mass.

Grand Rapids

Scranton, Pa.

Indianapolis, Ind.

Columbus, Ohio

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz.

Birmingham, Ala.

Chattanooga, Tenn.

Detroit

Atlanta

Lancaster, Pa.

Fresno, Calif.

Source: Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and Research Triangle Institute

Asthma medications

There are two major groups of asthma medications: Long-term controllers and quick relievers.

If people have symptoms more than twice per week, doctors and health care experts generally say they would benefit from long-term controllers, which include.:

• Cromolyn sodium and nedocromil sodium, in inhaled forms, prevent airways from inflaming when triggers come into contact with them. The substances, which are not steroids, are often used to control asthma in people who exercise regularly.

• Inhaled corticosteroids reduce the swelling of airways and the amount of mucus in the lungs.

• Long-acting beta-agonists are another group of anti-inflammatories that help maintain healthy lungs, even when they come into contact with triggers.

• Anti-IgE therapy is a relatively new, injected drug for people with moderate or severe asthma.

Quicker-acting medicines provide relief for symptoms of asthma during attacks, including coughing, wheezing and tightness of the chest.

• Short-acting bronchodilators are inhaled and spur muscles around the airways to relax during episodes.

• Short-acting beta agonists are especially effective in counter-acting episodes spurred by exercise. If their use is required more than three times per day, one may be improperly using an inhaler, or one should consult with a doctor.

• Oral beta agonists in syrup or tablet form can be used for children and for night-time asthma.

• Theophylline is an oral, slow-acting medication that requires regular blood tests to determine whether it is administered at the proper level. The sustained release of theophylline can be effective on night-time asthma, especially when used in combination with other anti-inflammatory medicines.

Source: Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America