ECUATION HELPS YOUNG ASTHMA SUFFERERS COPE

Shawn Busby, 7, says she only remembers one asthma attack.

"It was hard," she said. The Cape Girardeau girl uses inhalers every day and takes other medication to keep her asthma under control. She was diagnosed with asthma in August.

Shawn's mother, Kim, who also had asthma as a child, said she wants her daughter to learn to control the disease, rather than letting the disease control her.

That's where Huff and Puff come in. The two puppets are the stars of an asthma education program at St. Francis Medical Center. Huff and Puff help children learn the importance of using their inhalers as prescribed, taking their medication and generally taking care of themselves.

"Most of the kids have heard they have asthma. They may not know what that means," said Charlotte Stagner, a respiratory therapist and one of the instructors for the program. "We do try to get into the physiology part, what happens in their lungs. Really, most importantly, we try to stress what to do, how to take care of themselves in an emergency situation -- different kids of things they can do and every day things you should do for yourself."

Huff and Puff both have asthma and they talk to children about what that means. The program also uses games and creative play to help youngsters learn to manage the disease. Children learn to recognize factors that may trigger asthma attacks, such as stress, exercise or animal hair, and learn what do when they feel an attack approaching.

Children also learn how to use their inhalers and peak flow meters, which let them monitor how much air they can exhale.

The program also includes a component for adults, said instructor Lois Shade, a pulmonary nurse and respiratory therapist. In addition to information about the physiological components of asthma, adults also learn about new types of medications and therapy available to control asthma.

As with any other disease, she said, information is a powerful tool in helping people cope with asthma.

"People underestimate how severe their asthma is," Shade said. "Education helps parents and children have better control over their asthma."

An estimated 10 million Americans, including 4 million children, have asthma. Shade and Stagner both have asthma themselves. From 1980 to 1987, the incidence of asthma increased 29 percent nationally, according to the National Institutes of Health. Asthma mortality also increased in that period, and asthma is the leading cause of missed work and school days.

"We want people to learn to manage their asthma the way diabetics manage their diabetes or hypertensives manage their blood pressure," Shade said.

Asthma can take a lot of management, said Kim Fowler of Cape Girardeau. Her daughter Samantha, 7, uses three inhalers throughout the day. Doses from each have to be carefully timed, and that's a lot of work.

"We had inhaler wars all summer. You take two puffs from some and three puffs from some. So you're talking 20 minutes, and she had to do it three times a day," Fowler said. "That's most of her lunch period and recess. That's a lot to ask from a 7-year-old."

The two recently completed the course at St. Francis, and Fowler said her daughter has a much better understanding of why she needs the inhalers.

The hospital staff was able to Samantha's doctor and get her medication schedule revised, which has helped a lot, Fowler said.

Improving patients' compliance with their treatment plans is a goal of the program, said Shade.

"That's where a lot of people get into trouble," she said. "Their doctor may say use their inhalers four times a day and they may only use it once."

The program lasts four weeks and is offered throughout the year. For more information, call 339-6276.