Amazingly, some caregivers and parents tend to ignore the need for asthma management, and do not see their child's condition as serious or chronic. A group of writers note, "The resistance to the concept of asthma as a chronic illness may be linked to the fact that a majority of the children had symptoms consistent with mild, intermittent asthma, which caregivers interpreted as contradictory to the concept of chronic" (Nelson, et al., 2006, p. 274). If asthma is to be managed effectively, parents and educators must be involved in the management, and they must understand the severity of the disease, even when the symptoms do not seem chronic or severe. Clearly, education is the key to this aspect of managing the disease, but some caregivers and parents report education, even from their own doctors, is often lacking, especially when the symptoms are less severe.
Another group of authors conducted a study of doctors and patients with varying levels of asthma, and measured the education caregivers received about managing the disease. The results were very interesting, and may point to why some caregivers tend to ignore the need for asthma management. The authors note, "In looking at specific content areas, education reported was significantly different between groups of children with mild symptoms vs. children with more severe symptoms in the areas of medication management, written plans of care, and smoking as a trigger" (McMullen, et al., 2007, p. 39). Most caregivers report instruction on how to use an inhaler, and how to manage an asthma attack, but far less report talking about management goals or when to seek emergency medical attention with their doctors or other healthcare providers. The researchers continue, "These less concrete issues included the health care provider asking the parent about the child's feelings about asthma, sharing their goals for successful asthma management, and collaboratively developing with the parent a written plan of care on how to treat an [attack] (McMullen, et al., 2007, p. 41). Thus, caregivers are not receiving all the information...
Indeed, interaction with the patient on this point would demonstrate a very poor inhalant technique, a factor which the physician failed to consider before increasing the patient's dosage. Additionally, the physician failed to check concordance with respect to the patient's history of medicine use. This might have revealed some shortcoming in the subject's own methods of self-administering medication, including inconsistent usage and occasionally skipped doses. A useful instrument for
My asthma has been treated as has been suggested above -- through the avoidance of irritating stimuli and by medication where necessary. As I can attest from my own experience, asthma is a very irritating condition to live with. It often prevents one from taking part in sports and other strenuous activities and can have a negative effect on the general quality of one's life. However, if a treatment plan
Asthma and ER utilization Asthma Asthma is a particularly debilitating condition. Asthma is characterized by a tightening in the chest with difficulty in breathing and wheezing. This difficulty in breathing can result, at best, in a decrease in quality of life and the inability of carry out normal function. At worst, the symptoms of asthma can lead to death. Incidences of asthma have increased significantly in the last twenty years. This is
Asthma: Pathology and Contemporary Treatment Alternatives According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, asthma is a complex disease on the rise in the United States. Most at risk include poor or inner city minorities that present with inordinately high rates of mortality resulting from the condition (CDC, 2005). Asthma may also be on the rise due to environmental factors including increased pollution and exposure to environmental toxins that may
Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by blockages in the airways that cause difficulties breathing. It is relatively common, particularly in childhood. There are two main types of asthma, intrinsic and extrinsic. They each have different causes and physiological mechanisms. Intrinsic asthma is also referred to as non-atopic or non-allergic asthma because the condition is not caused by allergic reactions to environmental stimuli. Environmental stimuli ranging from smoke to
Asthma and Stepwise Management Asthma is a common disorder that affects around 1 in 13 Americans today (Asthma facts and figures, 2018). Although there is no cure for asthma, the condition can be managed effectively using various methods, including most especially a stepwise approach. The purpose of this paper is to provide a description of long-term control and quick relief treatment options for asthma sufferers and side effects such interventions can
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