ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, July 23, 1996 TAG: 9607230040
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: health notes
SOURCE: SANDRA BROWN KELLY
The Olympics, an event for the world's fittest people, also has brought attention to a major health problem - asthma.
Leading up to the opening, one pharmaceutical company promoted asthma medicine with film of track medalist and asthma conqueror Jackie Joyner Kersee in action. Frequently, too, TV announcers have pointed out that U.S. swimmers Amy Van Dyken and Tom Dolan were asthma sufferers.
Asthma happens when linings of the airways get inflamed and swollen and muscle spasms constrict airflow to the lungs. The symptoms of an attack are labored or restricted breathing, a tight feeling in the chest, coughing and wheezing. It can be caused by substances in the air, sulfites used to preserve foods, by a viral respiratory infection or, in some people, even by aspirin or the beta-blocker medicines.
Attention is being focused on this ailment from every direction because it is a condition that, if properly managed, need not cripple its victims, which are mostly children. Nor will asthma treatment cost as much if people who suffer from it get appropriate treatment.
Roanoke's Carilion Health System discovered, for example, that asthma victims had fewer hospitalizations if they had regular contact with health care workers. The hospital system has developed what is called a "critical pathway" for asthma, a treatment plan that tries to anticipate problems before they happen.
The first step for many of us, however, is determining if we or our children have asthma and if it is affecting quality of life.
The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology has a "yes" and "no" test to help you find out if you should at least ask an allergist about your problem. Questions range from whether you have trouble breathing or if you cough during heavy activity or if you have nighttime attacks; if you wheeze, have tightness in the chest or can't take a good, deep breath; if dust, pollen, pets and tobacco smoke make the problem worse; and if you're already being treated for asthma, do you use an inhaler more often than you think you should, or do you think your asthma controls your life.
For the free Asthma LQ (Life Quality) Kit, call (800) 898-9848; be prepared to deal with an automated answering system, but it's not complicated to maneuver.
Infertility support
An organizational meeting for an infertility support group will be held Aug. 8, 7-8:30 p.m., at the Fralin Center, 903 South Jefferson St. in Roanoke. Once the group gets going, participants should not only be able to share their frustrations at not being able to have children, but they also will learn about recent technologies that might help some couples.
For more information, call 981-7641 or (800) 422-8482.
Swimming classes
Recent news stories have told of a Southwest Virginia couple pulling their young son back from the brink of death by giving him CPR. They knew what they were doing, but that's not so with more than half of the people who use CPR, according to the Roanoke Valley Chapter, American Red Cross.
To help correct the incorrectness, the Red Cross has scheduled the following classes; most of the classes are at the Roanoke center on Church Avenue, but Troutville center classes are noted:
* Standard First Aid, Aug. 7 and Aug. 14, a six-and-a-half hour class, cost $40;
* Community First Aid and Safety, Aug. 15, Aug. 22, Aug. 29, beginning at 6 p.m. each night, a nine-hour course that includes basic first aid, CPR, rescue breathing and first aid for choking for adults, infants and children, $50;
* Adult CPR, Aug. 6 (Troutville office) or Aug. 8, a four-hour class in CPR, rescue breathing and first aid for choking, 6-10 p.m., $30;
* Community CPR, Aug. 8 and Aug. 15, or Aug. 12 and Aug. 19, a six-and-a-half hour class that begins at 6 p.m., cost $40.
* Baby-sitting Skills, for children 11 and older who want to know what to do in emergencies with young children, how to entertain children of different ages, select toys, prevent accidents and even how to diaper infants, Aug. 3, 10, 17, or Aug. 5, 6, 7 (at Troutville Red Cross office), 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day. (This is great training and is likely to get the young person lots of baby-sitting jobs! I can vouch for it.)
For more information, call the Red Cross at 985-3550.
You can contact Sandra Brown Kelly at 981-3393, in the Roanoke Valley, at (800) 346-1234 outside the area, or through e-mail at biznews@infi.net.an
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