NVHD Celebrates Asthma Awareness Month

In the United States alone, almost 7 million children have asthma. Asthma continues to be one of the most common serious chronic childhood diseases. In addition, asthma is a leading cause of hospital emergency department visits and school absenteeism. Asthma is a serious chronic respiratory disease that causes increased sensitivity in the airways leading to the lungs. Certain triggers (things that can cause an asthma flare-up) can cause people with uncontrolled asthma to experience difficulty breathing.

When a person is exposed to an asthma trigger like tobacco smoke, dust, pollen, pet dander, chemicals, and certain pests, the sensitive airways become swollen and inflamed. Thick mucus is produced and starts to line the airways. The muscles around the airways tighten causing the airways to narrow and blocking the flow of air. When this happens people may experience coughing, wheezing-(whistling sound when breathing), and tightening of the chest making it hard to breathe.

People diagnosed with asthma need to know that asthma lasts a lifetime and can not be cured but it can be controlled.  Most people can and should be able to live a full active life. If a person’s asthma is not in good control, symptoms can cause people to miss days from work, while children miss school and may require urgent visits to the pediatrician, hospital emergency room or hospital admission, and in some cases, lead to more serious consequences. Rarely, people have died as the result of a severe asthma attack.

People should learn what triggers their asthma and avoid their individual triggers. It is extremely important for people with asthma to know what their asthma medications are, how they work, and proper administration technique.  Asthma medications should be used exactly as prescribed by their health care provider or specialist to control and prevent asthma flare-ups and when to use their rescue (used as needed) medications. Some triggers such as reflux (or GERD) and “hay fever” allergies need to be treated with medication to control symptoms that can cause asthma symptoms to flare-up.

People diagnosed with asthma should have an Asthma Action Plan. This is a written plan describing how to manage asthma in relation to a person’s symptoms.

Simple steps to control asthma include the following: Talk with your doctor about your  asthma and get a referral to a specialist; Create an Asthma Action Plan with your doctor/specialist; “Asthma-proof” your home (reduce or eliminate asthma triggers)

The combination of medical management and environment control can make a big difference in someone’s asthma control. Naugatuck Valley Health District offers “Putting on AIRS”, an in-home educational program funded through the Connecticut State Department of Public Health. Putting on AIRS is designed to help families of children with asthma understand how to identify, reduce/eliminate indoor asthma triggers and educated on asthma as a chronic disease, and the medications that control and or rescue asthma symptoms

The Naugatuck Valley Health District office is located at 98 Bank Street, Seymour, and serves residents of the municipalities of Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Naugatuck, Seymour and Shelton. For more information please call Naugatuck Valley Health District at 881-3255, Monday – Friday between 8:30 and 4:00 p.m.