Growing Strong Families Program in Page County
Problem:
In May of 2006 I was visiting a family that had a 19-month-old boy who
suffered from asthma. His condition worsened, and the family made several
visits to the hospital emergency room. He would be in respiratory distress
and needed breathing treatments or injections. The family’s doctor
scheduled an appointment with a respiratory specialist in Omaha. They
went to the appointment and came home with different treatments. During
my next visit, the mother said she was extremely frustrated because
she felt that the doctor was talking “above her head” and
asked me for information about asthma.
Response:
I searched for information about the cause of asthma and what to look
for around the house that could trigger an attack. I found information
on the Iowa State University Extension website. The mother and I reviewed
the material and discussed it. She was surprised at some of the minor
things that could send the child into an attack.
Impact:
When I returned, the mother told me about the changes she had made to
increase the health of her child. She had switched his pillow, put the
dog outside, and made sure no one smoked in the house. With the help
of the new medicine and modifications, the child had not had an attack
in two weeks. The mother stated that she really appreciated the help
that I had given her.
Contact:
Linda Orme, Growing Strong Families Program Assistant
311 E Washington St
Clarinda, IA 51632
712-542-5171
Email lorme@iastate.edu
Last update: January 31, 2007
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