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Spirit Lake Consulting, Inc. 's Virtual Library ASTHMA Asthma is one of the fastest growing health impairments on the reservation, particularly among children. Which of the children in the photo at left has asthma? There is no way you can tell just by looking at a person, and yet, asthma can be life-threatening -about 200 children a year die due to asthma, as do 4,000 adults. If you don't know what it is, the first time you see a child have an asthma attack, it can be very frightening. This is yet another reason that it is critically important for staff members to communicate with persons regularly to be sure they have all the needed information on children's disabilities - and their abilities as well. |
Asthma is a disease of inflammation (swelling), of the airways. This swelling can result in the airways been tightened or closed off and it becomes difficult to breathe. The first time a child has an asthma attack can be frightening for both the patient and the family. The child seems to be ‘fighting for breath’, literally unable to breathe, and neither the patient or the family has any idea what is wrong or if their child will suddenly stop breathing for good.
Fortunately, the fact is that problems are usually temporary, although severe cases do require emergency treatment.
In some cases, it results in a thickening in the mucus in the airways, which can also make regular breathing difficult. Symptoms of asthma can include wheezing, shortness of breath, difficulty catching one’s breath, chest tightness and coughing.
No one is exactly sure what causes asthma or how the disease can be prevented.
WHO GETS ASTHMA?
Roughly 15 million Americans from every race, gender and background suffer from asthma.
Asthma is commonly diagnosed in children, however, it can be found at any age. Studies have shown that almost 50% of children diagnosed with asthma will outgrow it by there teenage years. However, some research has shown that is can reappear later in life.
On the Spirit Lake Reservation, there has been much concern about the recent increase in asthma in children. However, Asthma also affects older adults, about 2 million of them. In older people, asthma may be mistaken for bronchitis or other illnesses.
WHAT CAUSES AN ASTHMA ATTACK?
Different things can cause attacks for different people. However, some things that tend to cause asthma attacks are exercise, cold air, coming in contact things a person is allergic to like dust, pollen, mold or animals or being sick.
Some people experience exercise-induced asthma, which is a type of attack brought on by exercise. A way to tell the difference between exercise-induced asthma and being out of shape is that exercise-induced asthma symptoms, such as coughing or lack of breath, actually get worse after a person stops exercising and last up to half an hour.
HOW SERIOUS IS ASTHMA? HOW IS IT TREATED?
Most people with asthma will find that it has little impact on their lives as long as they manage the disease correctly.
However, a number of medications and treatments exist and most people go on to live completely unaffected lives. While there is no cure for asthma there are various products out to help manage it. Medicines are taken on a regular basis to prevent attacks. Others are kept on hand for use during an attack. Most people are familiar with an inhaler, which disperses a small dose of medication that is inhaled, but there are also medications such as pills that taken daily can help prevent attacks.
If you have internet access, click on this link for the page. "What is asthma?" from the University of Virginia. When you get to the website, click on the two girls’ pictures to hear them describe an asthma attack.
For a PowerPoint presentation on 'other health impairments' affecting children in special education, including asthma, click here. The presentation also offers suggestions for more effective education..
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