Join Asthma Community Network
- Asthma Community Network: Asthma Community Network is an online network designed for community-based asthma programs and sponsoring organizations . It features the only online compendium of over 600 asthma resources. Join the network to meet asthma champions around the country and learn about Asthma Awareness Month planning activities.
- Financing In-Home Asthma Care: This microsite on AsthmaCommunityNetwork.org provides information focused on delivering and paying for in-home asthma care to improve outcomes for children with asthma.
Find Asthma Resources From Our Partners
- Federal Agencies and Organizations Addressing Environmental Asthma: Learn about efforts from other federal agencies, national nonprofit organizations, and EPA regional offices working to advance asthma care through outreach and education on environmental asthma triggers.
- Indoor Air Quality in Schools: Nearly 1 in 13 children of school-age has asthma, which is the leading cause of school absenteeism due to chronic illness. Find resources from the IAQ Tools for Schools program promoting healthy learning environments and learn about implementing IAQ management plans in your school.
First Aid To Breathing Exercises Here’s How To Help A Person Suffering From Asthma Attack
Asthma attack can be quite scary as a person struggles to breath, feels chest pain, tightness with coughing and wheezing. The chronic condition can cause the airways in the lungs to become inflamed which can make it difficult to move air in and out. Watching your loved one go through this extreme discomfort can be difficult but one must act quickly in case of an asthma attack if the symptoms don’t get better after taking medication. Apart from contacting your doctor or rushing the person to a hospital emergency right away Dr Harish Chafle, Senior Consultant – Pulmonology and Critical Care at Global Hospital, Parel, Mumbai suggests the following steps that must be taken before an ambulance arrives.
How to give asthma first aid
Make them sit upright comfortably and loosen tight clothing.
If the person has asthma medication, such as an inhaler, help them take it.
If the person doesnt have an inhaler, use one from a first aid kit. Do not borrow someone elses. The medicine in it may be different than the needed rescue medicine. Also, using someone else’s inhaler has a slight risk of passing on an infection.
Use an inhaler with a spacer, if possible
Remove the cap and shake the inhaler well.
Insert the inhaler into the spacer.
Have the person breathe out completely and put their mouth tightly around the spacer mouthpiece.
Press the inhaler once to deliver a puff.
Give a total of four puffs, waiting about a minute between each puff.
Follow up.
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Asthma Awareness Month: Exhale Strategies
Date:04/25/22
May is Asthma Awareness Month. To commemorate this month, we are reminding providers to keep Superior HealthPlan members up to date on asthma education and promote awareness about how this serious, sometimes life-threatening, chronic respiratory disease can be controlled.
The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions National Asthma Control Program , and its partners, help members with asthma achieve better health and improve their quality of life. The NACP developed EXHALE, a set of six strategies that contribute to better asthma control, which can help people with asthma.
The EXHALE strategies have been proven to reduce asthma-related hospitalizations, emergency department visits and healthcare costs. Using these strategies together in a community can have the greatest impact. EXHALE strategies include:
- Education on asthma self-management.
- X-tinguishing smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke.
- Home visits for trigger reduction and asthma self-management education.
- Achievement of guidelines-based medical management.
- Linkages and coordination of care across settings.
- Environmental policies or best practices to reduce asthma triggers from indoor, outdoor, or occupational sources.
Healthcare professionals have the power to improve the health of people with asthma by providing:
- High-quality care.
- Asthma self-management education.
- Referrals to available support services.
It Is National Asthma Awareness Month
May was declared as National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month over 35 years ago by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America . This month is not just a time for education and awareness for families, it is also the peak season for people who have asthma and allergies.
About 19 million adults and 6.2 million children have asthma, that is nearly 25 million Americans. Over 20,000 adults and over 6,500 children in Mercer County currently have asthma, compared to an estimated 8.8% of adults and 8.7% of children diagnosed with asthma in New Jersey. These number reveal just how many families and communities have asthma however, they do not show the overall impact. African Americans and Hispanics living in underserved urban communities have the highest rates of uncontrolled asthma, Emergency Department use, and hospitalizations compared to whites. In light of the coronavirus, it is important now more than ever to get help managing your asthma to stay healthy and prevent asthma flare-ups, which can be life threatening.
What is Asthma?
How is Asthma Diagnosed?
You can expect your healthcare provider to:
- Take a detailed medical history, ask about your symptoms, allergies
- Perform a physical exam, including listening to lung sounds
- Lung function tests, X-Rays, blood and allergy testing may be ordered
- Refer you to a specialist if necessary, such as a pulmonologist or allergist
What are Symptoms of Asthma?
Is there Treatment for Asthma?
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Asthma Awareness Month 2021
May 5, 2021minute read
Since 1998, each May, World Asthma Day is celebrated in more than 35 countries to raise awareness for asthma patients.
Although asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases, affecting more than 339 million globally, there are still many misconceptions about it. This year, to address these misconceptions and how they can be misleading, the theme of World Asthma Day was announced by the Global Initiative for Asthma , a World Health Organization collaborative organization to be Uncovering Asthma Misconceptions.
This May, join us as we address these common asthma misconceptions, and clarify on-going myths.
Sign Up To Receive Aafas Advocacy Action Alerts
Get alerts to help us advocate on future issues that affect people with asthma and allergies! We have two ways you can sign up to receive Advocacy Action Alerts.
- Text AAFA to 313131 to receive Advocacy Action Alerts and updates via text.
- Join our online community. Not only will you receive Advocacy Action Alerts, but youll also be able to talk with other people managing asthma and allergies on our support forums. Youll also get alerts about other news about managing your conditions, research, and news.
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May Is National Asthma And Allergy Awareness Month
About 25 million Americans are living with asthma5 million of them are children. Rates of asthma are highest among African Americans and Puerto Ricans, young boys, and people living below the poverty line. Each year, asthma leads to more than 1.6 million emergency department visits and 170,000 hospital stays. For many, the change in seasonswith more allergens in the environmentcan increase wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, coughing, or severe asthma attacks.
Join the Learn More Breathe Better® program in our efforts to bring greater attention to asthma. Share these resources to help people recognize its symptoms, and to get diagnosed and treated earlier to live full and healthy lives. Asthma cant be cured, but it can be controlled.
How Can You Take Action
As part of National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, AAFA is asking advocates to save this date on their calendars as part of its 31 Days of Action. Weve designated May 16, 2022, as Advocacy Day. On that day, we are encourage people to ask their elected officials to support the Elijah E. Cummings Family Asthma Act and the Medical Nutrition Equity Act using a simple tool that AAFA provides.
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This Event Begins In 192 Days Time
Supported by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America , this awareness event is held throughout the month of May to coincide with the peak season for asthma & allergy sufferers.
People who suffer from asthma and allergies often experience noticeable physical symptoms during this month. An awareness campaign in May is an appropriate time to educate friends, family, co-workers and members of the public about asthma and allergies.
Resources For Asthma Awareness Month
To learn more about asthma, and the people working to better understand and treat it, check out some of the resources below.
- American Association for Respiratory Care : With more than 47,000 members worldwide, AARC is the leading professional association for respiratory care, bringing together both respiratory therapists and allied health practitioners. Their advocacy hub has information on AARC coalitions, state and federal policies, and other resources of interest to respiratory professionals. Find out how you can get involved here.
- Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America : Founded in 1953, AAFA is dedicated to saving lives and reducing the burden of disease for people with asthma and allergies through support, advocacy, education, and research. Their asthma hub has detailed information about the triggers, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of asthma. Find out more ways to get involved here.
Matt Zbrog
Matt Zbrog is a writer and freelancer who has been living abroad since 2016. His nonfiction has been published by Euromaidan Press, Cirrus Gallery, and Our Thursday. Both his writing and his experience abroad are shaped by seeking out alternative lifestyles and counterculture movements, especially in developing nations. You can follow his travels through Eastern Europe and Central Asia on Instagram at @weirdviewmirror. Hes recently finished his second novel, and is in no hurry to publish it.
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Enter To Win: Asthma Awareness Month 2022 Giveaway
“The Asthma Awareness Month 2022 Giveaway is now closed. Thank you for your interest!“
This Asthma Awareness Month, we are giving away the ultimate package! Prioritizing asthma care and treatment is so important, and we want to offer you all the tools to do it! Looking to enter our 2022 Asthma Awareness Month Giveaway? Here is how.
Asthma Symptoms Causes And Risk Factors
The number of children with asthma has risen dramatically in the past few decades. Could your child be the one in every ten children who is affected by what is now the most common chronic disease of childhood? Heres what parents need to know.
Image source: /content/dam/soi/en/web/cms/benefits/stateemployee/bewell/kidscorner/publishingimages/may22/kids-corner-1.jpg
Asthma is a condition that tends to run in families where overly sensitive airways swell, tighten and produce excess mucus. Whos at the highest risk of developing asthma? Children who have a history of:
- Being born premature
- Live with smokers or
- Come from families with parents or close relatives who have allergies or asthma.
Researchers are still trying to figure out exactly what factors prompt asthma to develop in susceptible children but asthma seems to result from both an inherited tendency and exposure to environmental factors. About half of children with asthma develop symptoms by age two and about 80 percent will have symptoms by age five. Detecting asthma in babies and toddlers can be difficult. Especially when younger children get certain respiratory infections, their tiny airways are filled easily with mucus. This can lead to the wheezing sound that may sound like asthma but isnt. Monitoring for the below symptoms every time your child gets a cold or viral illness helps predict the chances your child may have asthma:
To access the full article on asthma causes and risk factors for kids, click here.
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Social Media And Infographics
Use any of the materials below to spread asthma awareness through your network and educate others! Use the hashtags #asthma, #AsthmaAwarenessMonth, and/or #WorldAsthmaDay, and tag @EPA and/or @EPAair.
- Asthma Awareness Month Sample Social Media – Download sample social media posts that you can use or modify for your network. Themes include:
- Asthma Awareness
- Learn about Environmental Asthma Triggers
- Join the Asthma Community Network
- Learn about the National Environmental Leadership Award in Asthma Management and
- Find Asthma Resources.
Hpc Kicks Off Allergy And Asthma Awareness Month With A New Video
By: Whitney Venegoni, APRN, FNP-C, Family Nurse Practitioner
May is Allergy and Asthma Awareness Month and the perfect time to learn about allergies and asthma and how they are related as well as how to differentiate between allergies and COVID-19.
Allergy and Asthma Month is observed in May because for many that is when their symptoms peak since so many people are affected by environmental triggers. Allergies are an immune response in our bodies to different triggers in the environment such as mold, food, pollen and animal dander.
Allergies and asthma are related because many people who have asthma also have allergies and they can have some of the same triggers. With allergies it is more environmental triggers but with asthma those triggers expand to things like tobacco smoke and perfumes. Common symptoms of asthma include shortness of breath, wheezing and overall difficulty breathing.
Differentiating between allergies symptoms and COVID-19 symptoms is a little more straight forward than it seems. Allergy symptoms are started by irritants, so you are going to experience things like itchy, watery eyes, runny nose and sneezing. COVID-19 is an infection from a virus so you will see more systemic things like a fever, body aches, cough, and even nausea and diarrhea. With COVID-19 other body systems may be affected where with allergies it will be more limited to your eyes, ears and nose.
To learn more, watch our newest video:
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The Evolving Role Of Respiratory Therapists
The respiratory therapists understanding of asthma has grown tremendously since 1984, says Douglas S. Laher, Chief Operating Officer at the American Association for Respiratory Care .
The historic role of the respiratory therapist was to provide symptomatic control for the asthmatic in the hospital following an exacerbation. However, in addition to treating patients in the hospital, todays respiratory therapist focuses on outpatient treatment with a focus on preventative education.
For those working and living with asthma, the Covid-19 pandemic, which affects the upper and lower respiratory systems, has been particularly vicious. Respiratory therapists have been working hard to educate their patients and their communities about how one can differentiate between asthma symptoms and Covid-19 symptoms. Theyve also been transitioning areas of their practice into telehealth format. But as respiratory therapists continue to treat both Covid-19 and asthma patients, the profession is under strain.
For all its havoc, the Covid-19 pandemic had a silver lining: the rapid scaling of telehealth capabilities for respiratory therapists and asthma patients. By cutting down on barriers to access and distributing healthcare resources more effectively, telehealth can lead to a continued increase in preventive services and patient education. But in order to realize the full potential of telehealth in respiratory therapy, further advocacy is needed.
Flu Season Is Just Around The Corner
People with chronic health conditions like diabetes, cardiac or pulmonary disorders and asthma are among those at most risk from influenza. Individuals with chronic health conditions like asthma also have the highest risk for influenza-related complications.
The most effective way to prevent influenza is by getting an annual flu shot. Dr. Susan Waserman, Chair of Asthma Canadas Medical and Scientific Committee, especially encourages people with asthma and their families to get a flu shot yearly to help prevent complications with their chronic condition.
Flu shots are recommended annually to help reduce the frequency of asthma exacerbations, as viral and upper respiratory tract infections can both cause asthma episodes and make people with asthma more sensitive to asthma triggers.
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Asthma Signs And Symptoms
While it can be hard for parents to pick up on the signs that a child is suffering from asthma, its important to get in touch with your childs pediatrician if you have any concerns about a lingering cough or trouble breathing. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, the signs and symptoms of allergies can include:
- Coughing, especially at night
- A wheezing or whistling sound, especially when breathing out
- Trouble breathing or fast breathing that causes the skin around the ribs or neck to pull in tightly
- Frequent colds that settle in the chest
- Any of these become worse with irritants in the air
Asthma can usually be diagnosed with a medical exam. Get in touch with your pediatrician if your child is experiencing any of these signs or symptoms. There are many options for treatments to make breathing easier and to help control asthma symptoms for children.
May Is Asthma Awareness Month
More than 73,000 Nova Scotians have Asthma. Your pharmacist is an important member of your healthcare team who can help.
Some of the ways your pharmacist can help are:
Medication Reviews
Provide advice on reducing medication side effects
Counselling on medications
What is Asthma? Asthma is a lung condition that causes irritation and swelling of the lining of the airways in your lungs. The inflammation causes wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.
If you have asthma, the airways in your lungs are always somewhat inflamed, even when you do not have any symptoms. When your airways are exposed to irritants or allergens, the airways become more swollen and make more mucus.
Asthma has no set pattern. It’s symptoms:
Can be mild, moderate or severe
Can vary from person to person
Can flare up from time to time and then not appear for long periods
Can vary from one episode to the next
Living with Asthma
People with asthma can live full, active lives. The most important thing is learning how to manage your symptoms.
Links from Asthma Canada:
Treatment Options
Most people with asthma take two kinds of medication. Thats because each asthma medication treats only one aspect of the condition:
Helpful Links
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