Hi, my name is Meghan and I have asthma.  Did you know that asthma is a chronic lung condition that affects all age groups?  Each year uncontrolled asthma causes nearly 5,000 deaths in the United States and nearly 240,000 deaths worldwide.   I have noticed that many parents and children do not understand how asthma should be treated and how allergies affect asthma.  Learning to live with asthma since age three, I knew I had to do something about this lack of awareness.

This blog contains educational material from my community legacy project on Increasing Asthma Awareness in Parents and Children.  My project focuses on asthma and allergy triggers, regular doctor visits and medication use, and emergency care.  Because many parents cannot afford doctor visits and medication, they take their children to emergency rooms for asthma treatment.  School nurses have information about asthma and free medical care available in neighborhood clinics.  Regular doctor visits and medication use work better to control asthma!

Thank you for visiting my blog to learn about asthma.  Feel free to comment and ask questions!

My blog is also available in Spanish: http://www.respirabienconasma.blogspot.com/ 

For more information:  

Visit the American Lung Association's Asthma Page:

http://www.lungusa.org/lung-disease/asthma/

Visit the American Lung Association’s Fall 2011 Report on “The Burden of Asthma on Hispanics” (available in English and Spanish):

http://www.lungusa.org/lung-disease/disparities-reports/burden-of-asthma-on-hispanics/

Special thanks to:

Dr. Gailen Marshall, Director of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of Mississippi Medical Center.

Flavia Companys, teacher of IB Spanish, Westchester Academy for International Studies, Spring Branch ISD, Houston. 

Michelle Bernth, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Communications & Volunteer Development, American Lung Association, Plains-Gulf Region.

A Child's Guide to Asthma Pamphlet

Asthma and Allergy Awareness Presentation

Works Cited:

http://www.asthma.ca/corp/services/pdf/Kids.pdf

http://www.medicinenet.com/asthma_in_children/article.htm

http://www.pediatricasthma.org/about/asthma_burden

http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/air/ozoneart.htm

http://www.aafa.org/

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=asthma+United+States

http://www.lungusa.org/lung-disease/asthma/resources/facts-and-figures/asthma-children-fact-sheet.html

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/guide/asthma-allergies