Children with asthma growing in numbers

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Children with asthma growing in numbers

Children, students becoming more aware of how to deal with condition

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By KIRSTEN BRAUCHLI - Freeman Staff April 26, 2002

Waukesha North freshman

Jordan Walt suffers from asthma but finds ways to cope with it and still

participate on the school's golf and football teams.

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WAUKESHA - It's one of those windy, spring days asthmatics try to avoid, but

15-year-old Jordan Walt is not going to retreat from the putting green.

Walt, a freshman at Waukesha North High School, was diagnosed with asthma at

nine months old, but his condition has not stopped him from playing

football, hitting the links or being on a competitive waterskiing team.

" It's been tough in the past during the winter, especially because instead

of playing hockey or something outside I have to sit inside, " he said. " But

for the most part it really hasn't stopped me - I just suffer through it. "

Asthma, a reversible lung disease, is the leading serious chronic illness

among children, according to the American Lung Association. Common symptoms

include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness or pain, difficulty breathing or

shortness of breath and sensitivity to elements including chalk dust, mold,

pollen, animal dander and changes in temperature.

The lung association estimated 24.7 million people have been diagnosed with

asthma and one-third, or 7.7 million of those are children under 18.

Cases increasing

The number of cases appear to be growing.

Jay Walt, Jordan Walt's father, said when he coached soccer it wasn't

uncommon to have several boys on the team with asthma.

" At halftime there'd be a pile of inhalers sitting on the bench, " he said.

" Your heart goes out to these kids and as a parent you can feel helpless,

but Jordan manages it well. "

Jordan Walt uses an inhaler to manage his asthma. At times he had to use a

nebulizer, an air misting machine that supplies medicine through a

mouthpiece.

Typically, anti-inflammatory drugs or bronchodilators, which dilate the

airways, are used to treat asthma symptoms.

Lung association statistics estimate that of 350,000 people in Waukesha

County, about 4,800 children suffer from asthma. About 9,000 adults suffer

from the disease.

" It's hard to say why it's growing, we are getting better at diagnosing

people and we are getting better at recognizing the disease and that may be

part of it, " said Lee, coordinator of Site Asthma Milwaukee Allies. " We

are finding a (growing) trend in young children (ages birth to 5) who have

been diagnosed with asthma. And there are many theories as to why. "

Lee said some researchers say children are developing asthma because they

are overexposed to common triggers, such as allergens, while others say

children aren't exposed to allergens enough and are unable to build up

resistance.

" Some say the increase of smokers in the country and an increase of women

smokers may be causing asthma in children, " she said.

During a recent Awesome Asthma School Day event in various Milwaukee County

schools, 1,665 children between the ages of 7 and 13 were surveyed. Of those

children, 56 percent said they were exposed to secondhand smoke at home and

26 percent said they were frightened in the past week by an asthma attack.

According to the lung association, an estimated 200,000 to one million

asthmatic children have their condition worsened by exposure to secondhand

smoke.

Managing asthma in school

As more children are diagnosed with asthma, the challenge of managing the

chronic condition falls on parents and schools.

" From my perspective there's a lot to be done, " said Lee. " More people know

about it and are recognizing it as a problem, but I don't think people and

schools are being aggressive enough. "

Lee, who deals primarily with Milwaukee County schools, said teachers and

administrators need better training on how to detect the early warning signs

of asthma. She said each child suffering from the condition should have an

asthma management plan, which charts the severity, medication and dosage

needed.

Waukesha School District nurse Twyla Lato said in the 2000-01 school year

1,111 students in the district reportedly had asthma.

" Best thing the district can do to manage asthma is to educate people in the

district, " Lato said. " Educating kids, educating parents and faculty is

important. "

Lato said in the Waukesha School District each school staffs a health room

assistant rather than nurses. State law does not mandate that schools staff

nurses.

" Our staff is very dedicated and knowledgeable, but parents need to realize

these are not medical professionals, " she said. " If there is a medical

problem, don't send your child to school and try and have our staff diagnose

and treat. A physician needs to do that. "

Jay Walt said he and his wife, Colleen, have been pleased with the way the

Waukesha School District has handled their son's asthma.

" The district has been extremely cooperative, " Jay Walt said. " It just boils

down to communication. "

Handling asthma attacks has become a little easier since a state law, passed

in 1997, said students could carry their inhalers with them during school.

The student's physician and parent must supply a form to the school stating

the child knows how to use the medication.

Students handling condition

" Initially when I ran across asthma attacks it was a scary ordeal, " said

Waukesha West High School Assistant Principal Randy Daul. " But I think the

comfort level and awareness has increased among coaches and schools in

general. The kids themselves are able to deal with it by the time they reach

high school. "

North coach Dan Knuth said when he was a track coach he often held inhalers

for students while they competed.

" I think athletes have an advantage because they know their bodies really

well, " he said. " I haven't even seen it hinder any kid. I have noticed a

change in the number of kids with asthma who participate in sports since I

was in high school. "

West senior and athlete Kaleena Mindiola suffers from exercise-induced

asthma, a condition that only arises when she runs or participates in other

strenuous activities.

Despite her condition, Mindiola is on the varsity soccer and basketball

teams.

" I would really get winded while running and at first everyone thought I was

just out of shape, but it was so constant my mom took me to the doctor, " she

said.

She said when she was younger, attitudes about asthma were different.

" I couldn't run sometimes and my soccer coach would think sometimes I was

pulling something, or maybe the girls would look me and say I was faking, "

she said.

Mindiola said her coaches and teammates now understand and some even suffer

from the same ailment.

" Student athletes have really changed the image of a helpless asthmatic

kid, " Daul said. " They don't want it to hold them back. They should be

commended for battling through it. "

By the numbers:

National asthma statistics

24.7 million: Number of people diagnosed with asthma

7.7 million: Estimated number of children under 18 years old with asthma

658,000: Number of pediatric emergency room visits in 1999 due to asthma

10 million: Number of lost school days annually due to asthma

3.2 billion: Estimated annual cost in dollars of treating asthma in children

under 18 years old

Source: American Lung Association

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Classic symptoms of asthma include one or more of the following:

Wheezing

Coughing

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

Chest tightness or pain

Sensitivity to specific items that trigger an asthma attack

Source: Asthma and Schools Web site

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Common triggers to asthma:

Chalk dust or dust mites

Dander from furry/feathery animals

Mold and mildew

Air pollution

Chemical fumes

Cut grass, trees, plants and pollen

Tobacco smoke, secondhand smoke

Cockroach particles, mouse droppings

Exercise

Cold air or cold food and drinks

Colds, flu, bronchitis and other upper respiratory infections

Sneezing, coughing, laughing, yelling, hyperventilation

Emotional upsets including stress, anxiety, anger, crying

Source: Asthma and Schools Web site

Kirsten Brauchli can be reached at kbrauchli@....