LEONARDTOWN, MD (Jan. 29, 2014) – The St. Mary’s County Health Department officially launches a new Asthma Control Program intended to help children improve their asthma and decrease health care costs associated with uncontrolled asthma. The program will focus on children and adolescents 2 to 18 years old with uncontrolled asthma. Similar programs across the country have proven to be effective at improving health outcomes and quality of life.
“This is an important program not only for those children affected by this serious condition, but also for their families. We will be able to assess the home environment for potential asthma triggers and provide education to the families on coping with asthma in their home,” said the health department’s Asthma Control Program Director, Sandy Aubert, RN, MPH.
The Asthma Control Program will help:
- Identify and reduce home exposure to environmental triggers of asthma
- Provide asthma education and resources for families with children who are affected
- Decrease asthma-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and unplanned visits to primary care offices
- Decrease number of days children with asthma miss school
- Decrease the number of days parents miss work because of their child’s asthma
A major component of the Health Department’s Asthma Control Program will be to conduct a home visit for families and provide suggestions on how asthma triggers can be easily reduced in the home setting.
Asthma is a chronic disorder of the airways characterized by wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. Asthma symptoms can be triggered by various allergens and irritants, respiratory infections, second-hand smoke, and household triggers.
Children can be referred into the program by their health care provider, school nurse, hospital, or family. For those who qualify for a home visit, a summary report will be provided to the parents, primary healthcare provider for the child, and school nurse.
For more information about the Asthma Control Program and other resources to help with asthma control, visit www.smchd.org.