The Asthma Answer
Dr. Mok’s Notes January 2008
It seems like only yesterday that my now 23-year-old son started wheezing during the respiratory season, but really it was 22 years ago. He was beyond the viral-induced apnea age, and I hoped for plain old bronchiolitis. Recurrent wheezing soon followed and the term reversible obstructive airways disease (ROAD), was popular at the time. We weren’t sure when to call it asthma. Those were the days of aminophylline by mouth or rectum, long acting epinephrine, and the bitter pill of prednisone. We soon had a nebulizer when aerosolized cromolyn became available, and four times a day we read books and played airplane pilot with the mask. He came close to hospitalization a few times but never had to stay overnight. He has grown up taller than me despite a life of inhaled steroids. He races downhill bikes and snowboards. He has been lucky that smart people have kept looking for the asthma answer.
Some of those smart people at The Children’s Hospital in the Department of Pulmonology want to make sure community clinicians have an opportunity to understand the latest asthma answer. Toward that end, they are setting up a program of asthma CME lectures around the state this year. The first one will be offered at The Children’s Hospital on April 24 in the late afternoon. These sessions will be free of charge and will include dinner.
Like when managing other chronic pediatric diseases, it helps to have an advocate for asthma patients in your office. You will be able to designate a nurse and a physician to attend the CME to learn how to coordinate a program that meets the needs of your practice setting. Patients with asthma need regular follow up by phone or clinic visits to make sure age-appropriate guidance is provided and that families have the necessary skills to monitor their child’s progress. A flu shot registry, for instance, is helpful to remind families in the fall to get everyone protected.
The asthma CME series will use an engaging case-based approach to teach the latest information on diagnosis and the stepped treatment method. There are asthma education tool kits provided free for your office that include video aids to teach asthma device use and ways to overcome concerns about long term use of inhaled steroids. New Colorado Clinical Guideline Collaborative information will be used to outline the evidence-based asthma answer for 2008 and beyond.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment understands that life for kids with asthma living at a mile high can be a challenge. They have supported The Children’s Hospital with a grant to make this practical asthma CME program available. Invitations for the program will be coming soon, or let Dr. Robin Deterding know you are interested in attending at deterding.robin@tchden.org or (720) 777-6181.
My son gets frustrated at times taking daily medication and having a chronic disease, but he understands the importance of preventing airway remodeling as much as possible. I hope you take advantage of this CME opportunity. Asthma is a major part of pediatric practice, and we all have a role to play in providing the latest asthma answer for our patients.
