iImAmerica New National Survey Shows Asthmain Children Not Well Controlled “America’s Pediatrician,” Dr. William Sears, Offers Tips For Parents To Better ManageTheir Child’s Asthma (NAPSA)—Asthmais one of the most commonchronic conditions in children today. An estimated 5.8 million American children four to 18 years of age currently have asthma, and accordingto a recent landmarksurvey released on behalf of Asthma Action America, the majority of children with asthma do not have it under control. Uncontrolled asthma places children at risk for a range of consequences from increased symptoms, missed school and activities to hospitalizations and even potentially fatal asthma attacks. If your child is one of the more than five million with asthma, you may want to reassess how well controlled his or her asthmais. Disturbingly, the majority of parents of children with asthma surveyed inaccurately believed their child’s asthma was well controlled, despite many signs pointing to the contrary. Nearly 80% of survey respondents said their child’s asthma was well or completely controlled, yet: More than half of the chil- dren (54%) experienced sudden and severe episodes or “attacks” of asthma symptoms (coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath or trouble breathing) in the past 12 months * More than one-quarter (27%) have thought their life was in danger during an asthmaattack More than one-quarter of children (27%) have ever been hospitalized because of asthma One in five children (19%) experienced daytime symptoms three times a week to daily and almost a quarter (22%) experienced symptoms at night once a week to daily Theseare all potential signs of uncontrolled asthma according to national treatment guidelines established by the National Institutes of Health. “As a pediatrician, it is alarming to see so many parents think- ing that their child’s asthma is Dr. Sears offers the following tips to help your child’s asthma get and stay under control: Instead of asking your child “howis your asthma?” askspecific questions abouthis or her symptoms Periodically take the Asthma Control Tes TM with your child and discuss the results with his/herhealth care professional Help ensure your child takes his or her preventative medications asprescribed by a health care professional Keep a daily journalto help keeptrack of symptoms, triggers, medications taken and other important information @ undercontrol when manychildren are experiencing symptoms almost on a daily basis. It’s important that parents ask their children very specific questions about their asthma symptoms so that they get a clear picture of their child’s level of asthma control,” said William Sears, M.D., nationally acclaimed pediatrician and associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Califor- nia Irvine School of Medicine. Asthma Can Havea Serious Impact on Daily Life Asthmacan also have a serious impact on school and daily activities. It is the leading cause of missed school due to chronicillness among children, and missed school days can often mean missed work daysfor parents. The survey showed that children with asthma missed an average of nearly four school days in the past 12 months. Uncontrolled asthma can also mean missing out on activities, such as after-school or recreational sports. In fact, children interviewed for the survey rated “restrictions on activities” as the worst part of having asthma. Treating the Two Main Causes of the Condition Many parents may not realize that asthma attacks and symptoms can be prevented by longterm treatment of the two main causes of asthma symptoms: bronchoconstriction (tightening of the muscles surrounding the airways) and inflammation (airway-swelling and irritation). Relying on fast-acting rescue medications (i.e., inhalers used during an attack) to relieve symptoms does not provide longterm asthma control. Parents should talk with their child’s health care professional about effective medicines that can be taken daily to treat the two causes of asthma symptoms. Parent and Child Communication Gap May Be Contributing Factor to Uncontrolled Asthma The survey also showed parents and their children with asthma do not always communicate well with each other about asthma symptoms. Almost half (45%) of parents and their children disagreed that the child experienced any daytime symptoms and more than one-third of parents and their children disagreed on the specific symptoms the child experienced. According to Dr. Sears, becoming symptom-free starts with understanding when and what symptomsare occurring. Parents and their children should talk very specifically about symptoms. Taking the Asthma Control Test” together—a simple five-question test—may help start a dialogue between parents and their child and help determine the child’s level of asthmacontrol. The results should be talked about with the child’s health care professional to determine the best long-term managementplan. A free brochure featuring the Asthma Control Test™ and other valuable tips on asthma control from Dr. Sears is available at www.AsthmaAction America.org or by calling 1-800377-9575. The survey was funded by GlaxoSmithKline. GlaxoSmith- Kline is a research-based pharmaceutical company and a world leaderin respiratory care.
