Childhood Asthma Sept. 12 Final

8/8/2019 Childhood Asthma Sept. 12 Final

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Childhood AsthmaGroup Members:

Isaac MakLuis Chuidian

Sithu Pe Thein


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Outline of Presentation

I. Overview of Childhood Asthma

II. Roles of Social Workers in Providing

Assistance to Clients with Childhood AsthmaIII. Providing Mezzo and Macro-Level Services

for Asthma Patients


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Overview of Childhood

Asthma


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Definition

y Reversible airway obstruction

y Strongly family link

y Most common chronic illness in children

y Missed school and places

y More limits on activity than does any other disease

y Treatable but can't be cured

y Can keep symptoms under control

y Written plan

y Monitoring

y Regular doctor visits

y Making treatment changes as needed

(The Mayo Clinic website, 2010)


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Common Symptomsy Coughing

y A whistling or wheezing sound when exhaling

y Shortness of breath

y Chest congestion or tightness

(TheMa

y li ic website, )

Other SymptomsyTrouble sleeping

yDelayed recovery or bronchitis after a respiratory infection

yFatigue or trouble breathing during active play or exercise


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Causes

y Overly sensitive immune system makes airways

y Become inflamed and swollen when exposed to

triggers (smoke or allergens).

y

Sometimes with no apparent triggers.y Airway muscles constrict

y Lining of the airways swell

y Thick mucus fills the bronchial tubes

(TheMa

y li ic website, )


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Asthma Triggers


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Risk factors

y Combination of genetic (inherited) and environmental factors

y Those with a family history of asthma are at greater risk

y Other environmental factors that may increase chances ofdeveloping asthma include:

y Exposure to tobacco smoke

y Previous allergic reactions, including skin reactions, foodallergies or allergic rhinitis (hay fever)

y Living in a large urban area with increased exposure to airpollution

y

A family history of asthma, allergic rhinitis, hives or eczemay Low birth weight

y Obesity

(TheMa

y li ic website, )


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Children 6 years of age and oldery Lung function tests (Spirometry)

y measure how quickly and how much air can exhale.

y Pulmonary function tests

y At rest

y After exercising

y After taking asthma medication.

y Allergy tests also may be part of the evaluation.

Tests and Diagnosis

(TheMa

y li ic website, )


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In Younger Children

Wait-and-see" approach for children younger than age 3 whohave symptoms of asthma.

Diagnosis can be difficult because lung function tests aren'taccurate before 6 years of age.

Some children also simply outgrow asthma-like symptomsover time.

Rely on detailed information about symptom type andfrequency when considering an asthma diagnosis in a young

child. Sometimes a diagnosis is not made until later, after months or

years of observing symptoms.

Long-term effects of asthma medication on infants and youngchildren aren't clear.

(TheMa

y li ic website, )


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Treatments

y The goal of treatment is to get under control.

y Well-controlled asthma means that your child has:

y Minimal or no symptoms

y Few or no asthma flare-ups

y No limitations on physical activities or exercise

y Minimal use of fast-acting "rescue" inhalers

y Few or no side effects from medications

(The Mayo Clinicwebsite, 2010)


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Long-term Control Medicationsy I

nhaled corticosteroidsy Leukotriene modifiers

y Theophylline

y Combination inhalers

Quick- li f ic ti sy Short-acting beta agonists

y Ipratropium (Atrovent)

y Oral and intravenous corticosteroids

(TheMa

y li ic website, )


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Inhaled Medication Devices

y Older children and teens - a pressurized metered dose inhaler

or an inhaler

y Infants and toddlers - a face mask attached to a metered dose

inhaler or a nebulizer

y Babies need to a use a device called a nebulizer

(TheMa

y li ic website, )


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Lifestyle and Home Remedies

y Use your air conditioner

y Maintain low humidity

y Keep indoor air clean

y Reduce pet dander

y Clean regularly

y Reduce exposure to cold air

(TheMa

y li ic website, )


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Coping and Support

y Encourage normal play and activityy Make treatment a regular part of life

y Be calm and in control when facing asthma symptoms

Avoid triggers

y Ban smoking around your child

y Encourage your child to be active

y Have a plan

(TheMa

y li ic website, )

Prevention


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Roles of Social Workers in Prov

idingAssistance to Clients with Childhood

Asthma


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I. Identifying Psychosocial Factors that

Affect the Patients Asthmatic

Condition

y Psychosocial risk factors can influence many aspects of asthma

management and affect morbidity.

y Examples of Psychosocial Factors:

-Effects of stress on the children with asthma

-The mental health of parents

-Effects asthma has on family functioning

y The mental health of affected children and their parents = The mostsignificant psychosocial factor in predicting asthma morbidity

(Parker-Oliver, 2005, p. 1 7; arman, Silver, & ood, 200 , p. 14)


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I. Identifying Psychosocial Factors that

Affect the Patients Asthmatic

Condition

y Children belonging to disadvantaged communities tend to experience

more barriers to care.

y Stress has been found to have a negative effect on children's asthma,exacerbating the condition in the weeks following onset.

y Fatigue, the handling of asthmatic episodes, and the management of

childrens discipline and behavioral problems are difficulties that

parents face.

(Parker-Oliver, ;p. 6 - 68; Warman, Silver, Wood, 6, p. )


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II. Expanding Coping Strategies of

Asthma Patients and their Families

y Families with poor adaptive and coping styles put chronically-

ill children at risk

y The social worker, while educating parents, should expand

coping strategies to include:

-Meditation

-Relaxation

-Stress Management

( arker-Oliver, 2005, p. 1 9)


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II. Expanding Coping Strategies of

Asthma Patients and their Families

y By providing a listening ear and reassurance, social workers

can boost parental confidence in the handling of the disease.

y Social workers target early efforts in the diagnostic process to

help caretakers use support networks to reduce isolation and

stress.

y Social workers can also help through:

-Providing financial counseling

-Connecting families to resources networks

-Intervening when parental and child anxiety and

depression are present

(Parker-Oliver, 2005, p. 1 9)


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III. Collaborating with Medical

Professionals

y Health care providers lack the time and expertise to assess

psychosocial issues appropriately and identify families at risk

y Mental health professionals should be part of aninterdisciplinary team with asthmatic children.

y An interdisciplinary approach to pediatric asthma, using

physicians, nurses, health educators, and mental health

professionals would add value to the management andtreatment of the disease.

( arker-Oliver, 2005, p.1 9)


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IV. Advocating Within The Medical

System

y Parents find themselves shuffled between providers and

struggling to understand medical explanations (e.g. pharmacy

terms and prescriptions).

y

Social workers must ensure that the asthma plan's instructionsshould be tailored to the confidence and coping skills of

parents.

y Social workers need to reassure parents that there will always

be a solid plan in place.

(Parker-Oliver, 2005, p.1 9)


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References:The Mayo Clinic ( ). Childhoodasthma. Retrieved last September

, from the Mayo Clinic website: http://www.mayoclinic.com/

health/childhood asthma/DS 8 /DSECTION=symptoms.

Parker-Oliver, D. ( ). Asthma management: A role for social work. Health

and Social Work, 30( ): pp. 6 - .

Warman, K., Silver, E., Wood, P. ( 6). Asthma risk assessment:

What are the needs of inner-city families?AnnalsofAllergy,

Asthma,and Immunology, 97: pp. - .

Childhood Asthma Sept. 12 Final

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