Asthma and Allergy triggers' presentation from June Tourangeau @ St. Joseph's Hospital of RI for Room by Room's eco-design boot camp!

1. Keys to Breathing Easy
Ways to Manage Your Asthma
EHAP Environmental Health Action Project
| Proyecto de Acción de Salud Ambiental |

2. SUPPORTED IN PART BY :
Project H17 MC 00170 from Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Childrens Program,
Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration,
Department of Health and Human Services
Project X 98132201-0 from Urban Environmental Initiatives Program, Region 1 – New England,
US Environmental Protection Agency
© 2002 Environmental Health Action Project. All rights reserved.
Keys To Breathing Easy is a publication of the Environmental Health Action Project (EHAP).
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written consent of EHAP.
EHAP is a partnership of the Providence Community Health Centers (PCHC),
Brown University Swearer Center for Public Service,
and Providence Community HealthCorps.
EDITING : Chris Camillo & Kris Hermanns
TRANSLATION : Federico Rivera & Mirna Mendez
DESIGN : Ryan Andrew Scro
ILLUSTRATION : Matt Castigliego
SPECIAL THANKS TO :
The families of PCHC for their review and insight
Stanley Block, MD • Claudia DeCesare • Judy Morris, RN
Will Newman • Kathy Shay • Jeremy Smith • Lizette Muriel
Ana Mendoza-Diaz • Adolf Rahmer • Joya Lonsdale
EH0302-E 6/02 20

3. INTRODUCTION
Keys to Managing Your Asthma:
Know your asthma
Know your medications
Know your triggers
Communicate

4. You can manage asthma.
Asthma should not stop you from
doing the things you want to do.
INTRODUCTION 4

5. You need a plan.
Asthma affects each family in different
ways. Each family needs their own,
special plan to manage asthma.
INTRODUCTION 5

6. How do you want to
manage asthma?
Families need to make decisions
about which actions are part
of their special asthma plan.
INTRODUCTION 6

7. You are not alone!
Asthma affects individuals, families,
neighborhoods, and cities.
Over 17 million adults and children in
the United States have asthma.
The number of people with asthma is
increasing in the U.S. and around the world.
INTRODUCTION 7

8. Everyone is affected by
their environment.
Your environment is the indoor and
outdoor spaces and places where you
spend time. The environment affects
everyone in good and bad ways. This is
especially true for people with asthma.
INTRODUCTION 8

9. LESSON ONE :
Know your asthma

10. Lungs and airways:
When you breathe, air goes into your
mouth and nose, down your windpipe, and
into the small airways of your lungs.
LESSON ONE: Know your asthma 10

11. Asthma lungs and airways:
normal airway inflamed airway
normal airway constricted airway
Asthma affects airways by causing:
1) inflammation and mucus
2) constriction
LESSON ONE: Know your asthma 11

12. Asthma airways
are “twitchy.”
The airways of people with asthma are
more sensitive to the things around
them than are the airways of
people who do not have asthma.
LESSON ONE: Know your asthma 12

13. Everyone’s asthma
is different.
Doctors describe asthma as stairs
with 4 levels. People with level 4
asthma have symptoms regularly.
Learn your asthma level.
Work with you doctor to
decrease your level.
LESSON ONE: Know your asthma 13

14. What are your
asthma symptoms?
coughing wheezing
itching
tired or wired chest tightness
Symptoms are clues that your body gives you
about your asthma. They let you know:
1) that you are reacting to something
in your environment
2) how badly inflamed and
constricted your airways are
LESSON ONE: Know your asthma 14

15. Pay attention to
the road ahead.
Listen to your body. Act when you
first notice symptoms or your
asthma may get worse.
In most cases, asthma attacks
do not happen by surprise.
LESSON ONE: Know your asthma 15

16. What should he do?
What do you do when you feel the
first symptoms of asthma?
LESSON ONE: Know your asthma 16

17. Take action.
1) Take your quick-relief medication.
2) Tell someone that you are
having trouble with asthma.
LESSON ONE: Know your asthma 17

18. Take action.
3) Check your peak flow.
4) Stay calm and closely watch your symptoms.
LESSON ONE: Know your asthma 18

19. Take action.
Seek medical help at once if you do not
get better or your asthma gets worse.
Ask your doctor how to contact
her when her office is closed.
LESSON ONE: Know your asthma 19

20. LESSON TWO :
Know your medications

21. Controller and
quick-relief medications:
+ =
controller inflamed airway normal airway
medication
+ =
quick-relief constricted airway normal airway
medication
There are 2 types of asthma medications:
1) Controller medications
relieve airway inflammation.
2) Quick-relief medications
relieve airway constriction.
LESSON TWO: Know your medications 21

22. What questions do you have
about your medications?
There are many medications to help
people with asthma. They may
look alike but need to be used in
different ways. This can be confusing.
LESSON TWO: Know your medications 22

23. What have you heard?
People try to manage asthma in many
different ways. Some people take
medications. Some people use family
remedies. Some people use both.
What do you do?
LESSON TWO: Know your medications 23

24. LESSON THREE :
Know your triggers

25. The fire of asthma:
➜
➜
Avoid triggers and take medications
to keep your “fire” under control.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 25

26. Asthma triggers:
normal airway inflamed airway
normal airway constricted airway
Triggers are things that make
asthma worse by causing:
1) airway inflammation and mucus
2) airway constriction
Each person has different asthma triggers.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 26

27. You need a plan.
Each person needs their own special plan to
control triggers. There are 4 steps
to completing your trigger control plan:
1) Learn about asthma and your asthma triggers.
2) Know your asthma triggers.
3) Know where you are exposed to triggers.
4) Take action and control triggers.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 27

28. Asthma triggers: allergens
Step 1: Learn about asthma and your asthma triggers.
dust mites molds cats cockroaches
food rats/mice dogs pollen
Exposure to allergens can make your asthma
worse. Allergens are things in your
environment that you are allergic to. Allergens
can trigger an asthma attack or allergy
symptoms. Each person’s allergies are different.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 28

29. Asthma triggers: irritants
Step 1: Learn about asthma and your asthma triggers.
cigarette smoke chemicals/sprays gas stove
strong odors car exhaust/pollution
Exposure to irritants can make your
asthma worse. Irritants are things in
the air that bother everyone’s airways.
The sensitive airways of people with
asthma are even more affected by irritants.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 29

30. Asthma triggers: aggravators
Step 1: Learn about asthma and your asthma triggers.
weather cold/flu
exercise stress
Aggravators are other things that
can make your asthma worse.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 30

31. What are your
asthma triggers?
Step 2: Know your asthma triggers.
allergy skin testing
There are 2 ways to identify your triggers:
1) past experience
2) allergy skin testing
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 31

32. Asthma triggers
in the bedroom:
Step 3: Know where you are exposed to triggers.
What triggers can be in a bedroom?
It is important to try to control triggers in
the places where you spend the most time.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 32

33. Asthma triggers
in the kitchen:
Step 3: Know where you are exposed to triggers.
What triggers can be in a kitchen?
It’s important to figure out how much you
are around each of your triggers.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 33

34. Asthma triggers
in the bathroom:
Step 3: Know where you are exposed to triggers.
What triggers can be in a bathroom?
Some triggers are caused by the age of a
home or by the way the house was built.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 34

35. Asthma triggers
in the living room:
Step 3: Know where you are exposed to triggers.
What triggers can be in a living room?
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 35

36. Dust mites.
Step 4: Take action and control triggers.
beds and pillows carpets/rugs
stuffed animals curtains
Dust mites live in fabric items. They grow
best in places that are warm and humid.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 36

37. Dust mite controls:
Step 4: Take action and control triggers.
use special mattress mop
and pillow covers
wash bed sheets weekly throw rug away
and wash curtains
freeze stuffed animals
Take action to control dust mites. Start in
places where you spend the most time
and where you can make changes.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 37

38. Cockroaches.
Step 4: Take action and control triggers.
dirty dishes garbage
pet food leaking sink
Cockroaches need water and food to live. They
like to live in places that are warm and dark.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 38

39. Cockroach controls:
Step 4: Take action and control triggers.
wash dishes
cover garbage repair leaks
use baits and traps
to kill cockroaches.
(keep out of the reach of children)
Take action to control cockroaches. Start
in places where you spend the most
time and where you can make changes.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 39

40. Molds.
Step 4: Take action and control triggers.
mold in corners rugs
ceiling leak leaking sink
Molds need water to live. Molds grow best
in places that are humid, dark, and warm.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 40

41. Mold controls:
Step 4: Take action and control triggers.
use cleaning supplies throw rugs away
mop repair leaks
Take action. Find mold and clean
places where mold grows best.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 41

42. Cats and other animals.
Step 4: Take action and control triggers.
Being around cats, dogs, and other animals
can make your asthma worse.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 42

43. Animal controls:
Step 4: Take action and control triggers.
give pets away
cover garbage to keep pets out of
keep mice away your bedroom
fish are fun,
safe pets
Take action. Try to spend less time around
animals that make your asthma worse.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 43

44. Smoke.
Step 4: Take action and control triggers.
Smoke irritates the airways of all people.
Smoke makes asthma worse.
Even if you don’t smoke, being around
people who are smoking will make
your asthma worse. Smoking is
particularly harmful to young children.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 44

45. Smoke controls:
Step 4: Take action and control triggers.
stop smoking ask people to
smoke outside
Take action. Stop smoking. Spend less
time around people who smoke.
LESSON THREE: Know your triggers 45

46. LESSON FOUR :
Communicate

47. Who is on your
asthma team?
family
teacher friends
doctor neighbors
Everyone who helps you manage asthma is part
of your asthma team. Remember, you are the
most important member of your team.
LESSON FOUR: Communicate 47

48. What does your team
need to know?
Communicate with your asthma team so they can
understand your plan for managing asthma.
• Your early asthma symptoms
• Signs of a severe asthma attack
• Your medications
• Your triggers
LESSON FOUR: Communicate 48

49. You can manage asthma.
Communicate with your asthma team so
they can help you reach your goals.
LESSON FOUR: Communicate 49

50. What are your keys to
managing asthma?
Know your asthma Know your medications
Know your triggers Communicate
Take action to control asthma so that it does not
stop you from doing the things you want to do.
LESSON FOUR: Communicate 50