ftRTHUK is produced by
WGBH Boston and CINAR.
Funding for ARTHUR is provided by a Ready-To-Learn Television Cooperative Agreement from
the U.S. Department of Education, through the Public Broadcasting Service and public television
viewers. Corporate funding is provided by Libby's® Juicy Juice®, Post?Alpha-Bits® Cereal, and LEGO®
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All About Asthma
What Is asthma? What can trigger an asthma attack? How can you stay active and healthy if you
have asthma? To introduce this unit, show the ARTHUR episode "Buster's Breathless." Share the
background information below as you do the classroom activities on page 3.
ar:::
ASTHMA STATISTICS
• I in every 13 school-aged
children has asthma.
• 1 in every 5 pediatric
emergency room visits is
related to asthma.
• Asthma accounts for
10 million missed school
days each year.
Asthma is the
number one long-
term disease
among children.
AH About Asthma
Background Information
What is asthma? People with asthma have very sensitive airways in
their lungs. Triggers such as dust or mold can cause the airways to swell
and the muscles around the airways to constrict, making it difficult to
breathe. This can make the person cough, wheeze, or feel tightness in the
chest. While there is no cure for asthma, with proper treatment people
with asthma can lead healthy and active lives.
What causes an asthma episode? Many things can trigger an
asthma episode. Common indoor triggers include: tobacco smoke, dust,
mold, pets, cockroaches, and strong odors and fumes. Outdoor triggers
include: pollens, pollution, cold air, and changes in temperature. Intense
crying or laughing, colds and viral infections can also cause asthma attacks.
It is important for a child with asthma to know his/her own triggers and
how to avoid them. For helpful tips on minimizing exposure to triggers,
visit the Grown-Ups area of the ARTHUR Web site: pbskids.org/arthur or
order the EPA publication, "Clear Your Home of Asthma Triggers." Call
1-800-438-4318 or visit the EPA Web site: epa.gov/iaq/pubs/asthma.html.
HOW IS asthma treated? Many children with asthma take
a daily controller medicine to prevent asthma attacks. They
also use quick-relief medicine to combat asthma episodes.
Exercise can trigger asthma attacks, so some children take
medicine before they go out to play, especially in cold
weather. Many asthma medicines come in the form of a
spray that goes directly to the lungs, dispensed by an inhaler.
Family and school communication. Because asthma is so wide-
spread, it is important for all families to know about the disease. Students
with asthma should have an Asthma Treatment Plan listing the medicines
they should take hi various situations and the people to contact. "Tips for
Parents" and an Asthma Treatment Plan are provided in English and
Spanish (pages 6-8). They are also available in Chinese, Vietnamese, and
Tagalog on the ARTHUR Web site: pbskids.org/arthur (click Grown-Ups).
This guide was produced by the Educational Programming and Outreach department of WGBH
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Bruce Cox, BSRC, RET, Island Hospital,
Anacortes, WA
ADVISORS
Michelle M. Cloutier, M.D., Director, Asthma
Center, Connecticut Children's Medical Center
Brenda Doroski, Program Manager,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The contents of this guide were supported under the Ready-To-Learn
Television Program, P/R Award Number R295A00002, as administered
by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, US.
Department of Education. However, the contents do not necessarily
represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should
not assume endorsement by the Federal Government © 2002 WGBH
Educational Foundat!on.AII rights reserved.AII characters and underly-
ing materials (including artwork) copyright by Marc Brown. Arthur,
D.W., and the other Marc Brown characters are trademarks of Marc
Brown."PBS KIDS" Is a trademark of PBS.AII third party trademarks
are the property of their respective owners. Used with permission.
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Activities
Watch and discuss "Buster's Breathless." Ask children:
• What happened when Buster was reading Arthur's old joke books?
• What did the doctor tell Buster and his mom?
• Francine was afraid of catching asthma germs from Buster.
What would you tell her?
• Can Buster still run around and play with his friends? How can he
help himself not get asthma attacks?
All About Asthma. Distribute page 4. Encourage students to share
their own experiences and knowledge about asthma. Invite the school
nurse or a parent with asthma to visit the class and show devices such
as an inhaler and a peak flow meter. (These things can also be seen on
"A Word from Dr. Griffith," the video segment following "Buster's
Breathless.")
What does asthma feel like? Give each child a drinking straw.
Ask children to breathe through the straw and give a "thumbs up" sign
if it is easy to breathe, or a "thumbs down" sign if it is hard. Then ask
them to slowly pinch the straw as they continue breathing, and again
give the thumbs up or down sign. Explain that having asthma can feel
like breathing through a pinched straw. Be aware of children's breath-
ing during this demonstration, especially children with asthma.
Environmental triggers. Talk about common asthma triggers at
home, at school, and outside (see page 2). Try these discussion starters:
• Pets with fur or feathers can cause asthma attacks. What are some
pets that might be better choices for a kid with asthma?
• Imagine that your friend has asthma. You love playing together after
school, but being around your dog makes your friend start to wheeze.
How could you and your friend solve this problem?
• Imagine that chalk dust bothers some of your classmates with asthma.
How could you make the classroom a healthier place for them?
• What things collect dust in a bedroom? (rugs, stuffed animals, blankets,
etc.) How can Buster's mom help reduce the dust in his bedroom?
Family Activity Sheets. Discuss the pictures in
the maze, "Stay Active with Asthma." Let children
take the maze home to share with their families.
Also send home "Tips for Parents" and the "Asthma
Treatment Plan" (pages 5-8).
Helping OUt. List things a child should do during an asthma attack:
stop, sit down and relax, drink some water, tell a friend or adult. Ask
students: How can you help when a friend has an asthma attack?
Reflect and draw. Have children draw pictures and write or
dictate sentences about something they learned about asthma, how it
feels to have asthma, or ways to make the school more trigger-free.
Make a class Big Book from the students' work.
ft- ABC's of Asthma by Kim Gosselin
jt and Terry Ravanelli
t - I'm Tougher Than Asthma by Alden
^"'R. Carter and SiriM. Carter
|; The Lion Who Had Asthma by
I: Jonathan London
£ Taking Asthma to School and Taking
£—Asthma to Camp by Kim Gosselin
I; .and Terry Ravanelli
Buster's Breathless
Will Buster's friends
ever treat him the same
after they learn that he
has asthma? Watch the
episode to find out.
Then stay tuned for
"A Word from Dr.
-Griffith," a visit with
two healthy, active
boys with asthma and
their doctor.
IP • "Buster's Breathless" is included on the
I home video Arthur Goes to the Doctor.
jr=- To order this or any other ARTHUR video,
£ call I -800-949-8670. For a special 10%
£" educator discount, mention the code
f "ARTEDUC." (Offer expires'August 31,2002.)
All About Asthma
f\
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*
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9tay Active with AethtodJ
Help Buster and Arthur make it to the soccer game on time! When you come to a pair of
pictures, choose the safe path. Watch out for the triggers!
Ayuda a Buster y a Arthur a llegar a, tiempo a su partido defutbol. Cada vez que llegues
a unpar de dibujos, escoge el camino seguro. jCuidado con los activadores!
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Learning About Asthma
One of every thirteen children has asthma. During an asthma attack, the airways in the
lungs swell and the muscles around them constrict, making it hard to breathe. Things such
as smoke, dust, pets, and mold can cause asthma attacks. There is no cure for asthma, but
with proper care and medicine, children with asthma can lead active, healthy lives.
If your child has any of the following symptoms, he or she may have asthma.
Talk to your doctor to find out more.
• Wheezing, a whistling noise made while breathing
• Chronic cough, especially at night, after exercise, or in cold weather
• Shortness of breath, especially when exercising
If your child has asthma, fill out an Asthma Treatment Plan and give copies to your child's
teacher, coach, childcare provider, babysitter, etc. so they know what to do and who to call
if your child has an asthma attack.
€> 2002 WGBH Educational Foundation. AH rights reserved. Underlying TM/© Marc Brown. Permission is granted for reproduction of this printed material for educational use only.
Dates sabre el aswa
Uno de cada trece nifios padece de asma. Durante un ataque de asma, las vias respiratorias
en los pulmones se hinchan y los musculos que las rodean se aprietan, dificultando asi la
respiraci6n. El humo, el polvo, los animales domesticos y el moho pueden causar ataques de
asma. El asma no se puede curar, pero con el debido cuidado y medicamentos, los nifios con
asma pueden llevar vidas activas y saludables.
Si el nino presenta cualquiera de estos sintomas, puede padecer de asma.
Consulte con el medico para enterarse de mas detalles.
• Resuellos, se oye un silbido cuando respira
• Tos crdnica, sobre todo de noche, despu6s de hacer ejercicio o cuando hace frio
• Palta de aliento, sobre todo cuando hace ejercicio
Si el nino tiene asma, complete el formulario Tlan para tratar el asma' y de copias del
mismo al maestro, entrenador, cuidador, ninera, etc. para que sepan que hacer y a quien
llamar si al nino le da un ataque de asma.
© 2002 WGBH Educational Foundation. Dcrcchos reservados.TM y © subyacentes a nombre de Marc Brown. Se autoriza la reproduction de este imprest) solo para fines cducativos.
AH About Asthma
E"i|ish/sPanish
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Asthma Treatment Plan
Plan para tratar el
Child/Nino
NAME/NOMBRE
DATE OF BIRTH/FECHA DE NACIMIENTO
Parents, Guardians, Emergency Contacts/Padres, tutores, contactos en caso de urgencia
NAME/NOMBRE RELATIONSHIP/PARENTESCO
ADDRESS/DIRECCION
F.HPNE..(Ji.0,M.R)./.TJ.kl.|Fp.N.9..i.EN..?.A?Al (Wp.RK)/(EN EL TRABAJpj
NAME/NOMBRE RELATIONSHIP/PARENTESCO
ADDRESS/DIRECCION
r.HP.NJ..(.Ho.M..E.)./.J.E.kl?P.N.9..L?.
NAME/NOMBRE RELATIONS HIP /PARENTESCO
ADDRESS/DIRECCION
P.hPJ!!Ji..{H.9.ME}./TE.kl.?ON_0£EN __CASA)(WORK) /(EN EL TRABAJO)
Doctor/Medico
NAME/NOMBRE
ADDRESS/DIRECCI6N
PHONE/JELEFON9 HOSPITAL/H OSPITAL
Triggers / Act ivado res
Which things cause your child to have asthma episodes?/,;Que cosas le producer! episodios de asma al nino?
n Smoke/Humo
D Molds /Mohos
D Animals /Animates
D Exercise/E/erc/c/o
D Strong odors and fumes/0/ores / vapores fuertes
COMMENTS/COMENTARIOS:
U Chalk dust/Po/vo de t/zo (gis)
D Dust and Dust mites/Po/vo / acaros
D PoIlens/Po/en
D Changes in temperature/Comb/os de temperature
U Other/Otros:
DATE/FECHA
DOCTOR'S SIGNATURE/FIRMA DEL MEDICO
PARENT'S SIGNATURE/FIRMA DE PADRE
English/Spanish
W
All About Asthr
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JL
Treatment Plan
Plan par-a tr-atar- el agwa
NAME/NOMBRE
GREEN ZONE: Doing Fine!
ZONA VERDE: jVas bien!
Breathing is good./Respira bien.
No cough or wheeze./No lose ni resolla.
Can work and play./Puede trabajar y jugar.
If A PEAK FLOW METER IS USED
Peak flow: more than
(80% or more of best peak flow)
SI USASTE EL ESPIRdMETRO
Flujo maxima: mas de
(80 % o mas del me/or flujo maxima)
Use confrol medicine every day to stay well (if pij-e^c'Hbed by doctor-).
Usa el remedio de control diaHo para e5taf biehXsi asf te ;lo r-eceto el medico).
Medicine
Medicamento
How Much?
iCuanto?
When?
iCuando?
Before sports or exercise/Antes de practicar un deporte o hacer ejercicio
Medicine How Much? When?
Medicamento ^Cuanto? iCuando?
YELLOW (ZONE: Caution
ZONAAMARILLA: Precaution
Use quick-relief medicine.
Usa el medicamento de alivio rctpidd.
Cough, wheeze, chest tightness,
or waking at night because of asthma
Tos, resue//os, opresion en el pecho
o despertarse de noche par causa del asma
Peak flow: more than
(50% - 80% or more of best peak flow)
Flujo maxima: mas de
(50 al 80 % o mas del mejor flujo maxima)
Medicine
Medicamento
How Much?
iCuanto?
When?
iCuando?
If you need to use your quick relief medicine more than twice a week or
wake up more than once a week because of your asthma, call your doctor.
Si tienes que usar el medicamento para alivio rapido mas de dos veces par semana
o te despiertas mas de una vez par semana debido al asma, llama al medico.
RED ZONE: Danger!
ZONA ROJA: jPeligro!
Very short of breath.
Quick-relief medicines have not helped.
Muy falto de aliento. Los medicamentos de
alivio rapido no ayudan.
Peak flow, under
(less than 50% of best peak flow)
Flujo maxima: menos de
(menos del 50 % del mejor flujo maxima)
GET HELP fR'OM A POCTOR NOVv/J
/ACUPE AL MEP/CO AHORA M/SMO]
Medicine
Medicamento
How Much?
iCuanto?
When?
iCuando?
Go to the hospital or call 911 if you are still in the red zone after 15 minutes
and haven't reached a doctor. /Acude al hospital o llama al 911 si permaneces
en la zona roja mas de IS minutos y no te has comunicado con el medico.
RED ZONE DANGER SIGNS/SENALES DE PELIGRO DE LA ZONA ROJA
Can't walk or talk well./No puede caminar ni hablar bien.
Lips or fingernails are blue./Los labios o las uhas se le han puesto azules.
Call 911 NOW!
Llama al 911 jYA!
A I! About Asthma
English/Spanish
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