Home
|
World Asthma Day - May 6
World Asthma Day is Tuesday May 6, 2008. As a part of World Asthma Day, five Laemmle Theatres in the Los Angeles area will be showing a slide promoting the LAUSD Asthma Program before the main feature. We would like to thank the Laemmle Theaters for their support. If you have a chance, you may want to go to the movies between May 2 and May 8 to see the slide featuring Chris Draft of the St. Louis Rams and students from City Terrace Elementary School. It can be seen at the following Laemmle Theaters: Royal, Music Hall, Monica Sunset Town Center and Fallbrook. LAUSD Asthma Program
Asthma Attack Rates and Hospitalizations Highest for Children during Fall Season A child with asthma is at great risk of having a serious attack in the autumn months. According to the American Lung Association, the back-to-school months of September and October are when asthma attack rates and related hospitalizations are at their highest for children. Children with asthma must take extra precaution to prevent asthma episodes this time of year. This is primarily due to increased incidences of colds and flu, which are easily passed from child to child during the school day and can trigger asthma episodes. The best way to prevent an attack is to use an anti-inflammatory inhaler every day, whether you think the child needs it or not. Unlike a cold, asthma is not a once-in-a-while problem: it is always present, even when there are no symptoms. Asthma is a chronic disease with acute manifestations. The airways are much more susceptible to irritants than in a person without asthma, and the inflammatory response in asthmatic children is much more dramatic. Poorly controlled asthma can turn childhood into a series of life-threatening attacks, as the airways constrict severely and the ability to breathe becomes dangerously impaired. As a result, there are two million trips to the emergency room and half a million hospitalizations for asthma attacks every year. Asthma doctors say these could be cut in half if asthma was treated daily with controller medications. The majority of the children seen in the emergency department reported that their asthma was not in control before the acute episode. Other Preventive Tactics: Viral respiratory infections are the leading triggers of asthma attacks. Since hands are the main vectors of common viral infections, wash them often and keep them as germ-free as possible. Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth unless hands have just been washed. Children should not share food, cups, glasses or eating utensils. They should cover coughs and sneezes with their sleeves or parts of clothing rather than using their hands. Every child with asthma should get an annual flu shot. In addition, it is important to know how to assess the beginnings of an attack and to have a written Asthma Action Plan to head it off. |
|
|
|
Controlling Asthma in Los Angeles County: “A Call to Action”
The Asthma Coalition of Los Angeles County has developed a policy document titled “Controlling Asthma in Los Angeles County: A Call to Action” in response to the growing increase of pediatric asthma. This document reviews the impact of asthma on county residents, discusses the factors that contribute to this disease, and provides recommendations for improving asthma outcomes countywide. The Coalition developed the document with input from numerous experts in the field, including clinical care professionals, environmental policy advocates, school and childcare experts and asthma researchers. The purpose of the “Call to Action” is to raise awareness among public officials, community leaders, and those working to improve asthma-related systems of care, and to serve as a catalyst for people to come together to implement the proposed recommendations. The brief provides evidence-based recommendations in six categories including: 1) access to and improve quality of health care; 2) indoor air quality in homes and workplaces; 3) asthma management in schools and child care centers; 4) outdoor air quality; 5) race/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities and 6) asthma related research. Asthma is a leading cause of chronic illness among children in the United States, and a very common condition in Los Angeles County. Research among school children in urban Los Angeles indicates that 14% are likely to have asthma. Significantly reducing quality of life asthma increases emergency room and hospitalization rates, causes missed school and work days, reduces physical activity, and has serious impacts on our health care and economic systems. The LAUSD Asthma Program has participated in the development of this document and has officially endorsed “A Call to Action”. For more information about the Asthma Coalition of Los Angeles County, or to download of the Call to Action, go to: http://lapublichealth.org/mch/CHI/chi_asthma.htm. Hard copies will be available through your nursing administrators or from Susan LaCombe at 213-763-8359. |
|
|
|
LAUSD Nursing Services
Receives Grant from EPA The US Environmental Protection Agency has just announced that LAUSD Nursing Services Asthma Program has been awarded a two year grant for $35,000 to conduct the EPA Tools for Schools Programs in LAUSD Schools. Nurses and Teachers will be trained to lead their school staff through a program to recognize indoor air problems. Schools will focus on thing that can be done easily and with little cost to improve the environment for both children and staff members. Support for this program will be offered by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety through the Indoor Air Quality Community. Nurses and Teachers completing this program will be paid a stipend of $250 for their work.
If you are interested in participating in this program, contract Susan LaCombe at District Nursing Services 213-763-8359 or susan.lacombe@lausd.net. |
|
|
|
Nurse Administrators Attend Asthma Camp LAUSD Nursing Administrators, Asthma Program Nurses, and other members of the asthma support community attended the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of Southern California’s summer camp for children with asthma. Many children from LAUSD, who were referred by school nurses, attended the week long camp in the San Bernadeno Mountains. The residential camp program provides fun, outdoor experience for children, ages 8 to 14, with asthma who might otherwise be unable to take part in a summer camp. The annual camp program promotes self-confidence of children with asthma and expands their understanding of ways to manage and live with a chronic disease. AAFA organizes extensive volunteer medical services to meet the unique needs of these campers. The camp staff includes a full time medical director, nurses, respiratory therapist and physicians.
|
|
|
|
|
|
LAUSD Get Asthma
Grant form MCAN The Merck Childhood Asthma Network (MCAN) announced $10 million in grants to five childhood asthma programs. Los Angeles Unified School District was chosen through a competitive application process as well as programs in Chicago, New York City, Philadelphia, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Each will receive approximately $2 million over four years. The Los Angeles Program will expand and enhance asthma services provided by LAUSD Student Health and Human Services Division and its community partners consistent with the Centers for Disease Control’s Strategies for Addressing Asthma within a Coordinated School Health Program and the Strategic Plan for Asthma in California. More than 50,000 LAUSD students are affected by asthma. Studies have shown that these children miss 7 to 10 school days per year due to respiratory symptoms or illness making asthma a leading cause of school absenteeism. An average of one out of every 13 school-age children has asthma. The percentages are rising more rapidly in preschool-age children than in any other group. School Nurses in LAUSD give medication for asthma to more than 30,000 children with asthma each year. The LAUSD Comprehensive Asthma Program will focus on case identification and intensive case management for high risk children, increasing knowledge of asthma and self management skills for children with asthma and improving air quality in the school classroom. Additional efforts to develop educational programs for students and staff will be undertaken as well as community advocacy efforts with community health groups. |
|
|
|
For School Nurses! Are you THE school nurse? If you are, here are two asthma programs that offer training regarding the implementation of asthma programs at your school. EPA TOOLS FOR
SCHOOLS PROGRAM: OPEN AIRWAYS FOR
SCHOOLS: Stipends are available on a one nurse
per school site basis. Please see flier and Contact Sue LaCombe in
District Nursing for more details. Phone: (213) 763-8359 |
|
|
|
Significant Asthma Differences Found Among Mexican American Children
"Mexican American children born in the United States have an increased risk of asthma compared to children born in Mexico, according to a study featured in the July 2005 Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology (JACI). The JACI is the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI). Researchers discovered significant differences in the prevalence of asthma and wheezing among Mexican American children. Their findings showed: Children born in the United States were significantly more likely to report asthma diagnosis and wheezing than those born in Mexico; Children born in the United States were more likely to have a history of ear infection, to report having a regular place for health care, and to have a parental history of asthma or hay fever than children born in Mexico; Maternal smoking during pregnancy was more common among children born in the United States, while breastfeeding was more common among children born in Mexico. These findings indicate the possibility that something in the environment is dramatically different between the two countries. Possible explanations include variations in diagnostic practices or access to health care in Mexico as opposed to the United States. Also, children born in the United States may be more likely to have a regular place for healthcare, and therefore more likely to be diagnosed with asthma. However, the study found that the increased asthma risk in U.S. born children continued to persist even after taking this into account. Researchers believe another reason may be due to social and cultural factors. Mexican immigrants may be hesitant to report illness or personal information because of certain cultural beliefs. Their views on health care and illness may be different from people born in the United States and therefore are more accustomed to U.S. culture. To read the full press release, visit http://www.aaaai.org/media/news_releases/2005/07/070805.stm. |
|
|
|
How School Nurses Can Make a Difference
Asthma is the most common chronic childhood illness. Asthma morbidity and mortality are increasing despite improvements in asthma therapy. The burden of asthma is particularly significant for children living in the inner city. Recent guidelines from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommend daily use of maintenance (control) medications for all children with mild persistent to severe persistent asthma. However, studies have shown that inadequate therapy with maintenance medication is common, particularly for poor urban children. A recent study showed that 74% of children were receiving inadequate maintenance medications for asthma. Many providers were not aware of the child’s symptoms either because the family did not communicate them to the provider or because they were not seen regularly by the same provider. How can school nurses help improve the care received by their students with asthma? District Nursing is offering two programs to help students understand their asthma, use their medications, and avoid their environmental triggers. We believe that learning these skills empowers the child and his/her family to communicate more effectively with their health care provider. Open Airways for Schools is an elementary school program sponsored by the American Lung Association for children age 8 to 12. Middle and High School students are taught Power Breathing, a self management program developed by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation. Our grant from the CDC allows us to pay school nurses $250 for completing these programs at their school sites. If you are interested in making a difference in the life of a child with asthma contact Susan LaCombe at District Nursing to be part of these programs. |
|
|
|
Indoor Air Quality and Student Performance Recent data suggest that poor indoor air quality may directly reduce a person’s ability to perform specific mental tasks requiring concentration, calculation, or memory. The evidence is increasing in studies of both schools and other settings that indoor pollution or inadequate ventilation can decrease student and teacher performance. Good indoor air quality (IAQ) in schools, including pollutant control and adequate ventilation, appears to improve student and teacher health, increases school attendance, and therefore improves student performance. The U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its Science Advisory Board consistently rank indoor air pollution among the top five environmental health risks. According to he EPA, IAQ levels of pollution may be two to five times and sometimes more than 100 times higher than the outdoor levels. The costs of poor IAQ related to sick building syndrome and asthma may be as high as $20 billion including productivity loses. Research has shown that poor IAQ plays a strong role in triggering asthma episodes. This is a major problem in schools because more than 6 million children have asthma. Children with asthma miss more than 14 million school days each year, affecting their learning and school performance. School nurses and classroom teachers are working collaboratively with the LAUSD Office of Environmental Health and Safety to implement a nationally recognized indoor air quality program called Tools for Schools. School teams work together to assess indoor air quality conditions in each classroom, identify any problems, and develop plans to resolve them. The goals are to optimize the performances of students and teachers in the classroom and to increase student attendance and performance at school. If you would like this program at your school please contact Susan LaCombe at District Nursing--213-763-8374. A special grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will pay a $250 stipend for each site leader upon completion of the program. |
|
|
