Parents Press Jun. 2013 | Page 9

Community Support Profile : Asthma Waikato

Asthma Waikato was formed in January 1973 by a group of parents with children who had asthma . They wanted to support each other and others in the community who were also affected by the condition . Today Asthma Waikato has 3 nurses / educators who look after the greater Waikato region . They provide education , information and support to people with respiratory conditions . They help people to understand what happens to their body when they get asthma and provide advice and tips on how to control it on a day to day basis . Clients are able to visit them at their office ( 45 Pembroke Street ) or they can meet you at a place that is convenient to you – your home , workplace or school .
Children are more at risk of getting asthma because they are small and their airways are small . That is why the majority of hospitalisations are children between the ages of 0-9 years old . To
In New Zealand 1 in 4 children has asthma and it is one of the most common causes of hospital admissions for children . Last year alone , 387 Waikato children were admitted to hospital because they could not breathe and it is estimated that 550,000 school days are lost every year in New Zealand due to asthma .
People with asthma have over-sensitive airways which react to triggers that don ’ t affect other people . These triggers cause the airways to tighten , partially close up , swell inside and make more mucus . This makes it hard to breathe in and even harder to breathe out . respond to this Asthma Waikato has a great helper Sailor the Puffer Fish . Sailor was developed to help young children learn to manage their asthma by providing a fun , positive platform for children to engage with - he makes learning about asthma cool . He visits schools educating all children about asthma enabling those with asthma to better manage it and those without asthma to understand more about it . He has his very own website , ipad game and fan club . If you have a child with asthma this is a great resource for them to check out www . sailor . asthmawaikato . co . nz
Winter and the change in temperature can affect people with asthma . Asthma Waikato suggests the following advice to help reduce the effects of winter :
• Try to keep your home at an even temperature .
• It may help to use a thermostaticallycontrolled heater in the bedroom at night to keep the temperature around 20 degrees C .
• Wearing a thin , warm scarf loosely around your lower face can help warm the air you breathe .
• If you know that certain weather affects your asthma you may need to increase your medicine during that time .
For more information on Asthma Waikato and their services : www . asthmawaikato . co . nz
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