My Life as an Asthma Mom

I just saw a story scrolling across the bottom of the TV screen while I watched Good Morning America on December 28th. It said that asthma rates are going down, after years of going up. I can't find the story on Good Morning America, but found a LOT of other stories from many TV stations. The article was first published by AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner in a medical journal Pediatrics   But I can't find it there either. Sigh. This is the best article I found on KSL TV (I like the awesome chart!)  The article says that asthma rates were going up for years and years and now are going down. Researchers (I love smart people!) are trying to figure out why the rates would increase for so many years and then finally start to decrease. The article from the AP website says that: "Childhood asthma rates doubled from 1980 to 1995, partly because of more awareness and diagnosis." Have you ever gone to the doctor with a sick kid and had them tell ...

Christmas is almost here and like many families, we will be traveling for the holidays. I have learned to be prepared......just in case. I have learned to find: Where did I put my Out of State insurance card? Where is the nearest after hours clinic? Where is the nearest emergency room?   I have learned to pack EVERYTHING.....just in case. I pack:   Maintenance medication (Dulera, Advair, etc.) Rescue inhaler (ProAir - Albuterol) Nebulizer Tubing kit Albuterol vials Oximiter     If you are staying home for the holidays, it also helps to know: Phone number of the pediatrician How their after-hours works (we have a network of doctors who each take a night being the after-hours doctor. We call our regular pediatrician, and they have a phone recording to let us know which doctor is available after hours and where his office is located. We then call there to make an appointment.) 24 hour pharmacy (in our city there ...

It's that time of year when many of us will be traveling to visit family during the holidays.  The family stay with has a dog. Another family member INSISTS that there are certain dogs that are hypo allergenic  She says there is NO WAY we can be allergic to her dog. Well, sorry, but we are. See those watery eyes and hear the sneezing? We aren't making this up you know! There are is no such thing as a  hypoallergenic dogs!  Don't believe me? Here's a quote from an article in the Huffington Post  "Contrary to the many marketing claims made to appeal to people with allergies to pets, there is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog," Franklin D. McMillan, a veterinarian and director of well-being studies at Best Friends Animal Society, told The Huffington Post in an email. All dogs have saliva and skin, which Dr. McMillan says: "The most common cause of pet allergies is the dead, dried flakes (dander) from your pet's sk...

I saw a great story on NBC news about comic books and a cartoon for kids with asthma.  I'll try to include some information, but I am on SLOW speed today because I have a concussion. My brain and body aren't working the way they should. It takes a looooooong time for me to type on my computer, and I have to keep correcting my spelling.     I had to spend a week in bed, with dark rooms and low sounds. Limited TV and radio. Sigh. Not fun for a Type A personality! But - back to the fun cartoon and video! I wish this was around when my kids were little. This cartoon and coloring book series was created by a doctor, Dr. Alex Thomas , who also has asthma! He created these characters when he was only 11! He used to draw the cartoons for the newsletter for his mom's allergy patients. He is now also a pediatric allergy doctor.   The cartoon is easy to understand and has some cute characters. Iggy the Inhaler is dressed like a super hero. The Co...

This time of year can be stressful if you have allergies and asthma.  If you are traveling to Grandma's house for the holidays (or another family member's house) - you may worry about all sorts of things.  Can you make your flight? How long is the drive? What is grandma's house like? (or wherever else you are going) Are there cats there? Dogs? Is it dusty? (when is the last time the guest bedroom was vacuumed?) Are there going to be other people there - like kids with runny noses and coughs? Will someone make a dish for dinner that has tree nuts? (Even though you have told them MANY times that your son is allergic to nuts?)   Did you know that stress can trigger an asthma attack? There are some things you can't control - like weather for flying or driving. Or if someone gets sick.  Holidays are always an adventure!   When we travel for Thanksgiving (or any other holiday) we plan ahead. We always pack maintenance medic...

Like many of you, I watched the news of the attacks in Paris with my heart in my throat.  Previously, Hubby and I had spent our 25th anniversary in Paris. We LOVE Paris, it is such a beautiful place!  And then we watched the news reports. My emotions were a mess - first shock and horror, then love for the people of Paris who offered help to the innocent people caught in the cross fire.  The hashtag #portouverte (or #opendoor) was trending on Twitter.  The people of Paris were opening their doors to scared and injured tourists. They fed and clothed the tourists and provided a place for them to sleep and feel safe. Did you know that strong emotions can trigger an asthma attack?    According to Mayo Clinic, the following can cause (or trigger) an asthma attack: Airborne allergens, such as pollen, animal dander, mold, cockroaches and dust mites Respiratory infections, such as the common cold Physical activity (exercise-induced...

http://us.gsk.com/media/495349/151030_gsk_eosinophil_story_infographic_us-full-version.jpg For those of you who have asthma (or kids with asthma) you know that all asthma is NOT created equal. Son #2 had severe asthma, and had 8 hospitalizations (2 of those were close calls.....they had the "crash" cart parked outside his room!!) He is one of the 10% of people with asthma who have severe asthma. He didn't seem to do well on asthma medicine. He took multiple medicines every day to try to control his allergy and asthma (and had 5 years of allergy shots) . When he would get sick, he would take steroids (pills and shots) and STILL end up in the hospital. Sigh. It was a tough time for our family. Asthma Doc started our son on Xolair injections. For our son,  it was the only thing that seemed to work to keep him out of the hospital.  There is another option now for people who have severe asthma. GSK has a new medicine that was just approved by the FDA   ...

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/sanofi-allergy-injectors-recalled/ This is a short post today! CBS News had a story about a recall of the Auvi-Q injectors.   They are being recalled because they may not give you the right amount of medication if you have an allergic reaction. The story says there are about 200,000 people in the U.S. that have the Auvi-Q. There were about 26 people that reported problems with the injectors, so they are recalling ALL of them. (Hey - better to be on the safe side, right?!) So what do you do if you have an Auvi-Q? The CBS story says: "Consumers can call 1-866-726-6340 or visit the product's website for information on how to return the injector. They should also contact their health provider to get a prescription for an alternate device." However, if you have one of those injectors, they want you to get a replacement FIRST before you give them your recalled Auvi-Q. (You don't want to be without epinephrine...

It's that time of year again - flu season. It can start now and last through spring.   Anytime I am around someone who is sneezing or coughing, I back away.........I don't want to catch it! Any cold or flu is always worse when you have asthma.  CDC estimates that 226,000 people are hospitalized every year thanks to influenza (the flu.)  3,000 - 49,000 people DIE every year from complications of the flu. Yikes! Complications can be pneumonia, bronchitis, sinus infections and ear infections. When my kids were little, they were hospitalized 12 times for asthma - and almost all of those were because they started with a cold or flu and ended up with pneumonia. It's scary stuff to watch your child struggling to breathe.  I also have asthma and have had pneumonia numerous times, so I know what it feels like. For me, it feels like I was hit by a truck. I get a fever and chills and my body hurts all over, and I am so weak that I can't eat or drin...

Image from FARE (Food Allergy and Research & Education) Teal Pumpkin Project™ "The TEAL PUMPKIN PROJECT and the Teal Pumpkin Image are trademarks of Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE)." I blogged about the Teal Pumpkin project last year. It was a new idea to let kids with food allergies be able to Trick or Treat on Halloween! How? If there is a teal pumpkin on the front porch, or a Teal Pumpkin sign on the lawn (or front of the house), that lets parents know that are non-food treats at that home. The kids could score some really cool stuff - like bubbles, glow sticks, small toys, stickers, etc. So, they can still Trick or Treat, but instead of worrying about food allergies, they can get some really cool stuff!  If you have a child with food allergies, you know how hard it is to always have to check food labels. If there is a candy bar with tree nuts (Almond Joy) in a big bowl of candy, can my son eat any of the candy in the bowl...

I saw a story on abc NEWS about Kyle Schwartz, who is an elementary teacher at Doull Elementary school in Denver. She wanted to get to know her students better, so she had an assignment for them. They had to finish the sentence,  "I wish my teacher knew ____________" She was surprised at the what the kids wrote. Things such as:   "I wish my teacher knew that I don't have any pencils at home to do my homework" "I wish my teacher knew that my reading log is not signed because my mom is not around a lot." She started a hash tag #IWISHMYTEACHERKNEW  If you watch the video in the link above, make sure you have some tissues handy, it tugs at your heart strings! Her idea went viral, there were so many people who LOVED what she was doing! Others have copied her idea.  It made me think - what do I want people to know about asthma? Everyone with asthma has a different story to tell. So, tell me yours! My sentence has a little...

Do you have itchy, watery eyes? Some people think the only time they have allergies is in the spring when the flowers are blooming. WRONG! Many people can also have fall allergies. My kids are complaining about itchy, watery eyes, runny nose, sneezing and a throat that won't stop itching. Hellllllooooooo Ragweed!  Fox 59 in Indianapolis had a story on the news this week about fall allergies. They said one ragweed plant can produce up to 1 billion grains of pollen each year. Yuck!!  Mold is also common in the fall. You know how your kids love to rake leaves into a pile and jump in? Better be careful - the leaves are full of mold.  The Fox 59 story has several helpful things you can do: "The first and most critical step to controlling allergies is to avoid triggers. Avoiding ragweed is similar to avoiding Spring pollen. Minimize time outdoors, keep windows shut during the day, and check ragweed pollen counts. Avoiding mold is a little d...

Many of you who read my blog know that I am VERY nervous when it comes to forest fires. Son #2 ended up in ICU and almost died several years ago when we had a fire here. The whole valley filled with smoke (and smoke and asthma are NOT a good mix!) I just read a story called "Pulmonary Crisis: Wildfires Have the West Wheezing" It's so scary to read about what is happening to people with asthma in California. Did you know they  had to close schools in Central California?! (I know that's every kid's dream - that school is closed - but I'm not sure if that means they are stuck in their house of if they can take off to the beach.) The article says, "Record drought in the Western US that has contributed to an explosive wildfire season is sending droves of wheezing, coughing patients to physicians and asthma clinics." No wonder people with asthma are having a hard time! In the article, they list all of the pollutants in the smoke (it...

Some of you may have already read about the new study that showed that feeding babies peanut products early may prevent an allergy to peanuts later in life. Hmmm.  The American Academy of Pediatrics said:  "The medically supervised study tracked 640 babies with severe eczema, egg allergy or both. Half ate a peanut product at least three times a week for five years. Half avoided peanut products. Infants who were fed peanut products were at a much lower risk of having a peanut allergy at the end of the study. “The high-risk infants in this study were tested to be sure they were not already allergic to peanut,” said Scott Sicherer, M.D., FAAP, an AAP expert in pediatric allergy and immunology. “At age 5 years, only 3% of the infants randomized to eat peanut had peanut allergy compared to 17% among those avoiding it.” In the article, they remind...

I can't keep up with technology. Good thing I have two adult sons and one teenager who can help me with my new things (did you know you can use your thumbprint to access your iphone instead of trying to type in a 4 digit code every time?! Thanks to daughter Kitty for showing me that and setting up my phone. I LOVE IT!!!!) Did you also know that in some states, if your child has Medicaid, they can see a doctor virtually from school? You don't have to leave work and your child doesn't have to leave school. I just read an article about a school district in Texas. Here's how they explain the program: "They say adults shouldn’t have to take time off work and kids shouldn’t have to miss school to get routine health care, like when a child has an ear infection or skin rash, because modern technology allows a remote doctor to get high-quality, instantaneous information about patients. An electronic stethoscope allows the doctor to hear a child’s h...

I love researchers! Unlike me, these people are REALLY smart! There are lots of Smart People, like my teenage daughter, Kitty - who drops her high school physics class because it's too easy. (Yeah, well I can't even spell physics - I had to use spell check for this blog entry.......)   But these researchers are finding out new things all the time about asthma. The photo above shows a doctor looking at lungs, but the researchers are looking a lot deeper - at the cells that line the lungs (epithelial cells) The newest research out shows that the cells that line the lungs in people with asthma are not like other people's lung cells. In "normal people's" lung cells, their cells just sit there in the lungs, like cars in a traffic jam.  But people who have asthma have lungs cells that can be explained by  a study from Harvard Public Health  “scramble around like there’s a fire drill going on” I always tell people that asthma is like a ...

I've been watching all of the stories on the news about the fires in California and Oregon. It's so hard to see the home owners on the news after their houses have burned. It shows families going back to what was their house, only to find ashes there now. We live two states away, and our skies are filled with smoke from the fires. Smoke and asthma are NOT a good mix. In fact, when I was watching the stories on the news, my first thought was "How can those people be there around all that smoke!?" I can't see how any of the reporters, government officials, home owners and fire fighters can stand it. It made me wonder if any of them have asthma? The smoke is bad enough where I live, how can they stand being in the same area where the fire is burning? I have been having problems with my asthma and my throat is burning and my eyes are running.   I work in an office, so the air here is filtered. I also have air cleaners and a filter system on my ...

Have you ever wondered if there was a "safer" place to live if you have asthma?  When my kids were younger and frequently in the hospital, I wondered the same thing. Out of desperation, I asked Asthma Doc, "Is there a better place to live for asthma?" He sort of chuckled and then said, "There are going to be asthma triggers wherever you go - cats, dogs, dust, plants, grass, etc. You could move to a new area that has new plants that you aren't used to - then that would cause more allergy and asthma problems." Rats. I was hoping he would say that medically, the best place for us to live was Hawaii. A girl can try, can't she?!   Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America (AAFA) have released their list of the top 100 worst place to live if you have asthma. You can see the Top 10 on WebMd's site  You can visit AAFA's website to see all 100 cities.This is how they decide which cities are the worst: "2015 Rank - R...