Asthma Society of Canada Launches Asthma Basics 123 Campaign

NEWS RELEASE TRANSMITTED BY CCNMatthews

FOR:  ASTHMA SOCIETY OF CANADA

SEPTEMBER 16, 2004 - 10:01 ET

Asthma Society of Canada Launches Asthma Basics 123
Campaign

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(CCNMatthews - Sept. 16, 2004) -  

Back to school awareness program piloted in elementary schools 
across Canada 

The Asthma Society of Canada launched today Asthma Basics 123, 
Action Kit for Canadian Schools, a toolkit designed to encourage 
school professionals to recognize the early warning signs and 
symptoms of asthma and to communicate that information back to 
parents. Available in select cities across Canada, this pilot 
initiative is the result of a needs assessment conducted by the 
Asthma Society. Each year, asthma claims the lives of 
approximately 20 children in Canada and is the leading cause of 
emergency room visits and hospitalization among children. 

"Parents should feel confident that school personnel can identify 
and support a child who is at risk of having an asthma attack, 
but we know that this is not always the case," said Frank Viti, 
Chief Executive Officer of the Asthma Society of Canada. "Our new 
asthma awareness elementary school program is the first of its 
kind and aims to empower teachers and administrators to help take 
control of asthma in their schools." 

The Asthma Basics 123 Kit includes practical information for all 
school staff members, regardless of position, and includes the 
following: 

- Asthma Information Booklets 

- Managing Asthma Signs and Symptoms Poster 

- Asthma Basics 123 inserts, outlining the 'need to know' 
information for school personnel 

- 'Dear Parent' forms to communicate school observations back to 
the family 

- Local reference person to assist schools in planning a 
Community Asthma Awareness Evening 

The Asthma Basics 123 Program has been largely funded through a 
province wide grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. 

Identifying the Communication Needs 

Last year, the Asthma Society conducted a needs assessment among 
elementary school personnel to determine ways of improving 
communication between parents and school officials. The 
assessment primarily revealed that parents were not being 
informed on when their children were having asthma attacks. 
Parents expressed fear and a lack of confidence in the school's 
ability to handle emergency situations. On the other hand, 
teachers wanted to learn how to better manage an asthma attack 
and expressed frustration about the variability of parent's 
knowledge of asthma. 

Results of this assessment clearly indicated that a communication 
tool could benefit both the teacher and parent when discussing a 
child's asthma control. 

Childhood Asthma in Canada 

According to the Asthma Society of Canada, 15-20 percent of 
Canadian children suffer from the illness. Asthma is also the 
most common chronic illness among children. It is the main cause 
of school absenteeism, which in turn leads to asthma being the 
third leading cause of lost work time for adults caring for their 
children. 

"Given the prevalence of asthma attacks in schools, it is vitally 
important to familiarize school officials with the early warning 
signs of asthma so that children can fully participate in school 
activities", said Dr. Mark Greenwald, Chair, Asthma Medical & 
Scientific Committee. 

The Importance of Asthma Educators 

The prevalence and severity of asthma has increased all over the 
world leading to a need for improved self-management skills for 
patients and their families. The Asthma Society of Canada employs 
volunteer asthma educators across Canada for individuals and 
their families who face challenges in coping with asthma. A 
certified asthma educator (CAE) has training in asthma management 
and can help patients acquire the information and skills they 
need to manage their asthma in a confident manner. For more 
information on an asthma educator in your area, please visit 
www.asthma.ca. 

About the Asthma Society of Canada 

Founded in 1973, the Asthma Society of Canada is the country's 
only national civil society firm with a charitable status devoted 
to optimizing the health of people living with asthma. For more 
information about the Asthma Society of Canada and its programs 
people can call 1-800-787-3880, visit the award winning web sites 
www.asthma.ca or www.asthmakids.ca, or send an email to 
info@asthma.ca. 

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Asthma Society of Canada

Melva Bellefontaine

416 787 4050, ext 108

or

NATIONAL PharmaCom

Cindy Woodcock

1 905 631 6649, ext. 282