About Us

Asthma

Asthma is the leading cause of hospitalization at Boston Children's Hospital, and the hospital is the state's largest provider of clinical services to children with the disease. Children's approach to reducing the burden of asthma requires a comprehensive effort that combines patient care, research, training, education, and public policy advocacy.

Our focus is on improving asthma management in a child's everyday life. Children's Community Asthma Initiative (CAI) works with key partners such as the Boston Public Health Commission and the Boston Asthma Initiative to provide:

• Case-management services to help families manage asthma. By supporting families with home visits and asthma education, CAI aims to reduce the number of asthma-related emergency department visits and hospital admissions.
• Educational training of staff at health care centers, schools, and community organizations to increase their capacity to provide accurate asthma education and appropriate physical activities for children with asthma, as well as improve asthma knowledge among children and families.

Advocating to Improve Asthma Care

Children's regards public policy advocacy as a critical component of its overall approach to community health and its focus on providing the full spectrum of care. In the area of asthma, the hospital's advocacy goals are to:

• Initiate new strategies to advocate for insurance, legislative, and regulatory changes to ensure that children with asthma have needed asthma medications and delivery devices, optimal care and resources.
• Continue to help strengthen the efforts of existing community advocacy partners.