Could It Be Asthma?
Social Marketing Program:
Could It Be Asthma (CIBA) is a research-based social marketing program developed by Steps to a HealthierNY in Jefferson County to raise parent and caregiver awareness about the symptoms of asthma to promote the diagnosis and management of asthma in children. The resulting campaign materials highlighted chronic cough as a common symptom of asthma.
This program reaches out to local pediatricians, pharmacies, libraries, emergency rooms and school nurses to help save children from the complications of asthma. For children with undiagnosed or untreated asthma, parents are most likely to pay attention to information about asthma if it came from a pediatrician or possibly school nurse.
Could It Be Asthma Materials:
Could It Be Asthma print materials include flyers, shelf tags, and a brochure that contains a checklist of asthma symptoms and urges parents and guardians to consult a doctor if their child has experienced any of the symptoms. Television ads are run on Cablevision stations throughout the campaign.
Could It Be Asthma asks parents and caregivers to answer the following questions about the child’s health to help determine if they need to discuss asthma with their physician:
Why Could It Be Asthma Focuses on Chronic Coughing:
Asthma is a serious disease. 15 people die of Asthma every day and those deaths could be prevented with proper diagnosis and treatment. Many parents don’t realize that a chronic cough may be the only symptom of Asthma. If your child has a persistent cough, and especially if they experience any difficulty breathing, ask your doctor if they could have Asthma.
Could It Be Asthma (CIBA) is a research-based social marketing program developed by Steps to a HealthierNY in Jefferson County to raise parent and caregiver awareness about the symptoms of asthma to promote the diagnosis and management of asthma in children. The resulting campaign materials highlighted chronic cough as a common symptom of asthma.
This program reaches out to local pediatricians, pharmacies, libraries, emergency rooms and school nurses to help save children from the complications of asthma. For children with undiagnosed or untreated asthma, parents are most likely to pay attention to information about asthma if it came from a pediatrician or possibly school nurse.
Could It Be Asthma Materials:
Could It Be Asthma print materials include flyers, shelf tags, and a brochure that contains a checklist of asthma symptoms and urges parents and guardians to consult a doctor if their child has experienced any of the symptoms. Television ads are run on Cablevision stations throughout the campaign.
Could It Be Asthma asks parents and caregivers to answer the following questions about the child’s health to help determine if they need to discuss asthma with their physician:
- Colds go right to my child’s chest and last longer than those of others in the family.
- My child often has a cough and/or a wheeze (a whistling sound when breathing), chest tightness, or trouble breathing.
- My child sometimes coughs or wheezes with exercise, play, laughter, or during temper tantrums.
- Coughing or wheezing keeps my child up at night.
- There is a family history of asthma or allergies.
- I often give my child medication for coughing, chest tightness, trouble breathing or wheezing.
- My child has been to the emergency room or hospital for coughing, chest tightness, trouble breathing, or wheezing.
- My child misses school because of coughing, chest tightness, trouble breathing, or wheezing.
Why Could It Be Asthma Focuses on Chronic Coughing:
Asthma is a serious disease. 15 people die of Asthma every day and those deaths could be prevented with proper diagnosis and treatment. Many parents don’t realize that a chronic cough may be the only symptom of Asthma. If your child has a persistent cough, and especially if they experience any difficulty breathing, ask your doctor if they could have Asthma.
What is Asthma?
Asthma is a chronic disease that causes an inflammation of the airways. It's the most common serious disease of childhood, affecting 5 million children in the US. Asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism. It cannot be cured, but most people with asthma can control it so that they have few symptoms and live active lives.
Symptoms of Asthma?
Common asthma symptoms include:
Symptoms also differ in how often they occur. Some people with asthma have symptoms only once every few months, others have symptoms every week, and still other people have symptoms every day. With proper treatment, however, most people with asthma can expect to have few or no symptoms.
(Source: Nation Lung Heart and Blood Institute website)
What Causes Asthma?
For each person there are different causes of asthma. Commonly called “Triggers” some causes are pets, pollen, exercise, tobacco smoke, cold weather, dust, mold, roaches and others.
Asthma is a chronic disease that causes an inflammation of the airways. It's the most common serious disease of childhood, affecting 5 million children in the US. Asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism. It cannot be cured, but most people with asthma can control it so that they have few symptoms and live active lives.
Symptoms of Asthma?
Common asthma symptoms include:
- Coughing. Coughing from asthma is often worse at night or early in the morning, making it hard to sleep.
- Wheezing. Wheezing is a whistling or squeaky sound when you breathe.
- Chest tightness. This can feel like something is squeezing or sitting on your chest.
- Shortness of breath. Some people say they can't catch their breath, or they feel breathless or out of breath. You may feel like you can't get enough air in or out of your lungs.
- Faster breathing or noisy breathing.
Symptoms also differ in how often they occur. Some people with asthma have symptoms only once every few months, others have symptoms every week, and still other people have symptoms every day. With proper treatment, however, most people with asthma can expect to have few or no symptoms.
(Source: Nation Lung Heart and Blood Institute website)
What Causes Asthma?
For each person there are different causes of asthma. Commonly called “Triggers” some causes are pets, pollen, exercise, tobacco smoke, cold weather, dust, mold, roaches and others.
