Asthma Care

Consultants and advisors are available for you.

The Missouri Healthy Schools team includes experienced professionals who are available to answer your questions, provide training, and support your decision-making.  Your consultants for Asthma Care are:

• Rebecca Brown, RRT, MPA, AE-C - Certified Asthma Educator - University of Missouri Asthma Ready Communities 
  
• Peggy Gaddy, RRT, MBA - Program Manager - Missouri Asthma Prevention and Control Program - Department of Health and Senior Services
  
• Tammy Rood, NP, DNP - University of Missouri, Department of Child Health - Asthma Ready Communities
  

Contact Project Manager Anna Trainer, MPH with general inquiries.     

click here to sign-up for MHS updates

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Downloads, webinars and videos

Webinar: Asthma-Friendly Schools: Strategies to Reduce the Risk of COVID-19 Transmission and Improve Indoor Air Quality
>> Main topics:

• Implement IAQ management and layered risk-reduction strategies to reduce COVID-19 transmission and environmental asthma triggers in schools.
• Utilize guidance and tools from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to choose safer disinfectants, effectively clean school facilities, and provide recommended ventilation and filtration to not only mitigate the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission but to create healthy learning environments for all students and staff, including those with asthma.
• Employ best practices from environmental hygienists and health providers at a leading hospital-based community environmental health program to create asthma-friendly schools, protect occupant health and improve academic performance in schools through implementing proactive approaches for indoor environmental management.

>> View recording
Provided 6.4.21
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New! Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids 2021 Virtual Advocacy Symposium: Advocating for our Future!
>> Main topics: Parents and educators play an active role in fighting tobacco use among youth. National Youth Tobacco Survey data shows that youth e-cigarette use remains a public health concern and teens do not fully understand the health consequences.
FDA and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) collaborated to develop a video series featuring pediatricians answering common questions about youth e-cigarette use. Click HERE to watch the videos.
Provided 6.2.21
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New FDA & AAP Video Series: Pediatrician Discuss Youth E-Cigarette Use or Vaping
>> Main topics: Parents and educators play an active role in fighting tobacco use among youth. National Youth Tobacco Survey data shows that youth e-cigarette use remains a public health concern and teens do not fully understand the health consequences.
FDA and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) collaborated to develop a video series featuring pediatricians answering common questions about youth e-cigarette use. Click HERE to watch the videos.
Provided 6.2.21
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Texas Tobacco-Free Conference
>> Main topics: Registration is now open for the 2021 Say What! Conference. To continue ensuring everyone’s health and safety as we all slowly return to in-person gatherings and events, the conference will be virtual again this year. If you attended last year’s virtual conference, then you know how much fun we had! This year, we have even more surprise celebrity guests and keynote speakers waiting to inspire you and your youth to not only live tobacco-free, but to find their passion and dedication to helping create healthier lives for their friends, family, and community.
>> Register here
Provided 6.2.21
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National Youth Vaping Prevention Curriculum
>> Main topics: Know the truth is a national youth vaping prevention curriculum created by Truth Initiative and Kaiser Permanente, in collaboration with the American Heart Association, to educate students about the dangers of e-cigarette use. This free digital learning experience was developed as part of Truth Initiative’s nationally recognized truthⓇ campaign. In addition to encouraging students to live vape-free lives, this self-led interactive curriculum offers resources to help young people who are currently using e-cigarettes to quit through truth’s first-of-its-kind text message quit vaping program This is Quitting, which is already helping more than 300,000 youth and young adults on their journeys to quit.
Provided 6.2.21
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Asthma Care and Education
>> Main topics: Root causes and solutions for uncontrolled asthma are often found outside the clinic walls. Addressing the unique challenges children and families face in the day-to-day experience of asthma requires a team of folks who share understanding and a commitment to meet pressing needs. This program is dedicated to opening lines of communication between clinic and community partners for improved asthma care and outcomes. Care managers, health plans, school nurses, community health workers, home environmental assessors, asthma educators, social workers and many others have vital roles. As we better understand one another, we will better serve our patients.
>> View webinars
Provided 4.30.21
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State of the Air by the American Lung Association
>> Main topics: The American Lung Association's annual report on air quality across the country is now available. While there has been some progress on cleaning up air pollution, there is still much more to do. Today, more than 40% of Americans are impacted by unhealthy air. Read the report and find out how your city compares.
>> Is Your Air Clean?
Provided 4.21.21
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Signs and Symptoms of Asthma by Rebecca Brown
>> Main topics: Recognition of asthma signs and symptoms, and responding to them appropriately are important to prevent an asthma episode from getting worse, and to make breathing easier.  This video goes over some common ones to look for. Below is also a great resource!
>> Missouri School Asthma Manual
Provided 4.15.21
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Save the date. Upcoming events.

Asthma Care and Education (ACE) ECHO 2021 Series: 12-1PM

• November 2, and 16

>> Register here

Read success stories and case studies. 

• Coming soon

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Can I use a nebulizer to provide quick relief medication (e.g., albuterol)?
  >> Answer: Use of a nebulizer is NOT recommended during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Use a meter dose inhaler with a valved holding chamber.
    
  
• Cough is a symptom of COVID-19.  Can a child with asthma who coughs frequently still come to school?
  >> Answer: The CDC recommended symptom screener for schools addresses this issue noting that daily home health screening for students should focus on new onset cough or change in cough from the student's baseline: New uncontrolled cough that causes difficulty breathing (for students with chronic allergic/ asthmatic cough, a change in their cough from baseline).  Click here to view the CDC's recommended daily home health screener form.
  
• Can I use corrugated tubing as a spacer when I use stock Albuterol?  
  >> Answer: No, because there is no one-way valve, which is necessary to prevent cross-contamination.  
  

• How I do get the free start-up kit (with COVID-19 asthma care supplies) for my school school or district?  
  >> Answer: The Allergy and Asthma Foundation - St. Louis Chapter is handling distribution of kits. Request your kit here.   
  


• Should masks be worn by people with asthma?  
  >> Answer: In most cases yes.  Currently, the CDC is recommending that all people over age 2 wear a cloth face covering when in public or when around people who don’t live in your household. The guidelines for school settings are age 9.  The Allergy & Asthma Network addresses this question with a thorough response here.