Boston Children's at Martha Eliot | Asthma Education Program

The Asthma Education Program at Martha Eliot Health Center provides intervention and prevention for pediatric and adolescent patients and families who suffer from asthma. A nurse practitioner stationed within both departments heads the program. They work with the providers in both the pediatric and adolescent departments to develop a plan to help monitor, and control, patients with asthma to prevent future asthma attacks. The nurse practitioner and physician supply patients with educational materials, appropriate medication, and consistent, quality care.

Eligibility

Any patient between the ages of 0 to 21 at the Martha Eliot Health Center who are diagnosed with asthma is eligible to participate.

Goals and services

• help you to understand your child’s asthma symptoms and medications
• make necessary adjustments to your child’s medication plan
• identify your child’s asthma triggers and help to reduce them
• recognize community resources
• provide support services through social work, community agencies, and your child’s school system
• administer annual flu vaccines
• assist families with smoking cessation and decreasing exposure to second-hand smoke
• manage your child’s asthma along with their physician or nurse practitioner
• act as the link between your child’s primary care physician and specialty services to make sure your child receives the best treatment for them

Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by inflammation and spasm of the airways. This causes breathing problems such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Asthma can be triggered by environmental factors, infections, allergies, exercise, temperature changes, or other airway irritants

Our own Linda Haynes, NP, made a video for pbskids.org that has lots of great information about asthma. It's part of the Arthur Family Health page.

Asth.ma: a blog about asthma from Dr. Ann Wu, an asthma researcher, doctor, and mom, with guest blogs from other clinicians and researchers as well as parents.

American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology represents allergists, clinical immunologists, allied health professionals, and others and includes helpful resources like "Ask the Expert" and "Easy Reader Sheets."

American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of pediatricians committed to the health and well-being of all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults.

American Lung Association is the oldest voluntary health organization in the United States fighting lung disease in all its forms, with special emphasis on asthma, tobacco control, and environmental health.

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America provides asthma education, advocacy, research, publications, chapters and support groups. It also has quick facts about asthma, allergies, and more.

Breathe Easy Program is a Boston Public Health Commission program that allows healthcare providers to refer their patients to the Boston Inspectional Services Department to have their home checked for potential asthma triggers.

Medline Plus: Asthma is a U.S. National Library of Medicine page on asthma.

National Heart and Lung Blood Institute is a National Institutes of Health organization that provides the official asthma management guidelines.