Sleepaway camp is a rite of passage for some kids. For children with asthma, there are additional concerns. What if my child gets sick? How will she know to take her medicine? Asthma camps provide health education for kids and peace of mind for parents.
Many consider personalized medicine the future of health care, and for good reason. As we learn about patients, genetics and diseases, we see that a standard approach is not the best. The purpose of personalized medicine is to provide custom treatment plans for patients. While customized care can help patients, it also adds challenges due to many factors that influence asthma.
A new over-the-counter device that works with your smartphone will warn you if your asthma is about to flare. The FDA recently approved the device, called Wing. Wing attaches to your smartphone and measures your lung function. Wing has a sensor that monitors your asthma zones. The pocket-sized device includes a mouthpiece. The Wing app collects and analyzes the data from the lung test.
AAFA President and CEO Dr. Cary Sennett and his wife Sara are about to bike through Michigan. They are partnering with AAFA’s Michigan Chapter, to raise awareness (and funds) to improve the lives of people with asthma in Michigan and across the country.
Did you know that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), not the FDA, regulates most insect repellents applied on the skin? Some insect repellents claim to be "natural." These may contain food-related ingredients, like soybean oil or lemon.
Are you a school nurse or a doctor? Make plans to attend the 11th annual asthma and allergy conference of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America - Alaska Chapter (AAFA-AK) . AAFA-AK is holding Wheezin', Sneezin' & Itchin' in Alaska at the Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, AK, September 9-10, 2016. For details or to register, see: http://conference.aafaalaska.com/ . Presenters will discuss the latest in research and best practices in asthma, allergy, and immunology. Session topics...
Tiffany Phu loved sports and spent most of her time outdoors. So it was fitting that on a balmy May night, her older sister Michelle confidently threw out the first pitch at a Philadelphia Phillies game. Michelle advocates for asthma awareness in memory of her sister Tiffany. “Tiffany enjoyed playing all types of sports,” notes Michelle. Tiffany died from asthma two years earlier, in May 2014, after running track at her Texas school. The eighth grader was just 13. The sudden and tragic loss...
Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services have proposed several cuts to Medicaid benefits including one that affects allergy sufferers. One of the changes proposed is to remove coverage for allergy testing for people on Medicaid. Allergy testing is an important part of diagnosing an allergy. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services is accepting public comments about the proposed changes. AAFA encourages constituents to contact Commissioner Stephen Miller...
There is a new drug available for children with uncontrolled asthma caused by airborne allergens. Xolair is already approved for people, ages 12 and older, with moderate to severe asthma. It belongs to a class of drugs called biologics. It is given in a doctor’s office by injection. The FDA recently approved it for children between ages 6 and 11 whose asthma is not controlled with other long-term medications . Approval makes Xolair the only biologic for children with uncontrolled allergic...
The latest research shows that there is no evidence of infection from allergy shots, also known as allergen immunotherapy. The threat of infection is one of the reasons cited in a proposal to restrict your access to allergy shots . In this study, researchers looked at the records of more than 3,000 patients from two large Massachusetts hospitals. The data spanned 10 years. Patients received over 130,000 shots. During that time, guess how many infections researchers traced back to the allergy...
Luke Bilbo has severe asthma. But he also has a lot of determination. Enough determination to run a marathon. In Luke’s seven short years, he’s already been in the hospital more times than anyone can count. In kindergarten, he missed 54 days of school. When he did go to school, he had to wear a mask to protect him from germs and asthma triggers . He also had a spot on his lungs that only went away after a long treatment. The last thing his mother, Amanda Bilbo, thought he would do is run...
My dad is one of the 24 million Americans who grew up with asthma. He is also allergic to pollen - which made working as a groundskeeper on a golf course pretty challenging. In May, he’d sometimes be unable to work for a full week at a time. My dad was able to manage his asthma and allergies (for the most part) with medication and a quick-relief asthma inhaler . He was never hospitalized due to an attack. Yet if his asthma was worse, he may have not been able to work at all. If you or a...
As part of Asthma Week at the American Thoracic Society (ATS), the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) and ATS will present a webinar on Wednesday, June 22, at 3:00 pm. The webinar, "Caring for Patients with Asthma and Allergy: Leveraging Digital Solutions,” will be hosted by AAFA’s President and CEO, Dr. Cary Sennett. RSVP: Reserve your seat by registering WHEN: Wednesday, June 22, 2016 TIME: 3:00-4:00 pm Eastern time WHERE: Your computer, iOS or Android device Asthma is a...
Summer heat is here. For some people, that may mean a rise in asthma flare-ups. Dry, hot air may trigger asthma. However, other heat-related factors such as smog may also worsen your asthma.
If you have asthma or allergies, coordinated care is important. However, what is "coordinated care?" Two or more people organize coordinated care. That could mean a doctor and patient, or multiple health care providers, the patient and family members. It helps you get the right care at the right time. Coordinated care helps keep you healthy, especially if you have one of these challenges: Older Americans with asthma may be more likely to have other chronic conditions. Seniors may have...
