Interviewer (I): Tell me a little about your child and his/her exception.
Parent (P): My son's name is Ethan. He is 10 years old and has a passion for sports. He is an amazing athlete and thrives on friendly competition. However, his love for sports and outdoor activities is somewhat limited because he has asthma. He is one of roughly 9 million children in the U.S. that are affected by the chronic disease. There are several triggers that are mostly found in the outdoor environment that can cause Ethan's airways to tighten and inflame which makes it difficult for him to breath. It is important to always be aware of the triggers like weather, pollution, pollen, animals, second-hand smoke, and cold/flu symptoms.
I: How does it feel to be the parent of your child?
P: I love Ethan unconditionally but I worry about him. I worry the most when he is playing sports. I enjoy watching him play but I can not help but think and wonder, is he coming to have a flare up or an asthma attack? Now that he is older, it has gotten easier and he can control his asthma well but as a mother I can not help but worry. I am always reminding myself that playing sports is good for him because it helps his lungs become stronger and work better.
I: How is your child developmentally the same or different from other children at the various ages?
P: Ethan is developmentally the same as other children. He is in an asthma- friendly school that knows all the details about his condition and about his medication. His teacher has reduced triggers in the classroom so it is unlikely that he will have an attack and miss class.
I: What professionals/ agencies do you deal with? What services are available to you and your child?
P: We have health insurance through Medicaid which covers the majority of Ethan's medications, supplies, and hospital and doctor visits. Ethan also sees doctor who has special interest in asthma. Aside from those, we often utilize numerous online resources. MedLine Plus's web page offers links to several websites that are for children with asthma. When Ethan has a question or concern, we visit these links because it breaks it down in terms he understands.
I: How did you find out about the above services?
P: When we first discovered that Ethan had asthma, the doctor recommended insurance companies and my husband and I did our own research as well. The internet has been an enormous help in finding resources also.
I: What financial burden, if any, are you experiencing?
P: Fortunately our health insurance covers the majority of the costs we have for Ethan's asthma. However, I know that there are families that pay roughly $4,000 on care a year! There are also ways to reduce costs. Now that Ethan is older and able to control his asthma, his symptoms are reduced which in turn reduces his need for medications and doctor visits.
I: What other information do you want to share?
P: I want to let other parents who have children with asthma know that it is possible for them to live a normal life. Education is key. Once you get informed and educated on asthma there are ways to control asthma and several things you can do to reduce asthma triggers for your child. Talk to your child about it and have an emergency action plan so everyone knows what to do when/if an asthma attack occurs. Take the time to find an asthma-friendly school who has trained staff and teachers. Also, do the research and find resources that can best help your child and always do what ever you can to reduce all triggers at home.
Glogster link: http://valverdedrina.edu.glogster.com/asthma-drina-val-verde/
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