AANMA Asks Congress To Help Nation Breathe; Congressional Field Hearing Examines Asthma Issues

4/29/2002

From: Sharon Ifft, 703-641-9595, ext. 113, sifft@aanma.org

FAIRFAX, Va., April 29 -- On May 1, Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA) will host the fifth annual Asthma Awareness Day Capitol Hill (AADCH) in Washington, D.C., to educate members of Congress and the public about asthma and the issues affecting the 17.3 million Americans who live with this chronic condition.

Supported by nearly 100 members of Congress, AANMA will hold a Congressional Field Hearing from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the Gold Room of the Rayburn House Office Building. Panel participants will discuss the rights of children to carry inhalers at school, the need for more school nurses, the importance of clean air in our nation's schools, and the need for emergency department referrals to specialty care. Jerome "The Bus" Bettis, star running back with the Pittsburgh Steelers, will also speak about his experiences with asthma.

Asthma is the leading cause of missed school days. Yet only 17 states allow children to carry and use their inhalers in school. When a child can't breathe, every second counts. Kids need immediate access to their lifesaving medication at all times. About 56,000 school nurses serve our nation's 47 million public school students. But how can a nurse manage student asthma emergencies if she shuttles between three or four schools per week? Our children deserve a full-time registered nurse at every school.

Whether brand new or 30 years old, America's schools are full of allergens and irritants that can trigger asthma attacks. Currently, only 10,000 of the country's nearly 90,000 public schools are using the Environmental Protection Agency's Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Kit to clean up the air quality at a relatively low cost.

There are approximately 2 million asthma-related visits to emergency rooms each year, but many of these patients were never referred to specialists for follow-up and treatment. In fact, emergency room patients are more likely to be referred to a specialist for a broken leg than for asthma. Studies show that when patients are under the care of an asthma specialist and follow a treatment plan, they require fewer visits to the emergency department.

"Our kids are mandated to attend school, yet for students with asthma, school can be a very dangerous place," says AANMA President Nancy Sander. "Every year, children die of asthma at school and on field trips. We hope that by raising awareness of these and other issues on Capitol Hill and around the country, we can make a difference in the lives of all people with asthma."

In addition, AANMA will host an Asthma Expo open to the public at the Columbus Club in Union Station from 1 to 4 p.m. featuring free asthma screenings and consultations with board-certified allergists from the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (ACAAI). Attendees will have the opportunity to meet Jerome Bettis and pick up free materials about asthma at more than 20 educational booths.

Throughout Asthma Awareness Month in May, AANMA volunteers around the country will hold local events at shopping malls, hospitals, and libraries to educate their communities about asthma. Many of them will partner with the ACAAI to offer free asthma screenings.

------ AANMA is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to eliminating suffering and death due to asthma and allergies through education, advocacy, community outreach, and research. Founded in 1985, AANMA offers educational materials for all ages, THE MA REPORT newsletter, Allergy & Asthma Health magazine, a toll-free help line, and a Web site (http://www.aanma.org/).