THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 29, 1995 TAG: 9510270173
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JENNIFER C. O'DONNELL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
Patricia Ann McCarron and Sandra S. Baucom, doctors at Renaissance Pediatrics, were so concerned about this year's severe asthma season that they invited patients suffering from the condition to a seminar Tuesday at their Western Branch office.
``This fall has been one of the worst for asthmatics in many years,'' said Baucom. ``The pollen and mold counts are very high, and some of our patients have been seriously ill because of it.''
With the help of their staff, the doctors turned their examination rooms into mini-theaters so the children could watch videos on how to prevent attacks from occurring and properly use inhalers and spacers, devices asthmatics use to inhale medicine into their lungs.
The patients and their parents also participated in experiments at various locations in the office waiting room and hallway. In one of the experiments, the children learned how to tell how much medicine was left in their inhaler canister by floating the canister in a tub of water. If the canister sunk, the children learned they still had plenty of medicine left. If the canister floated, it's time for a refill.
Another experiment, aimed at the parents, tried to demonstrate just how uncomfortable an asthma attack can be.
To illustrate their point, the doctors asked parents to breath into two plastic tubes, one of which was stuffed with a sponge, representing an asthmatic's lung capacity, the other tube was unobstructed. A meter in the middle of both tubes measured lung capacity or how much air passed through the tube when used. The results often startled the parents.
``It's a very scary thing for a young child to be air-hungry,'' said McCarron. ``If we teach the parent what the child experiences during an attack, then we're helping prevent attacks from happening in the first place.''
To help the young patients understand what causes their attacks, staff members posted pictures of asthma triggers throughout the office. Pictures of pets, perfume bottles, disinfectant spray and other possible irritants were displayed for the children to find and write down on their trigger card, which they took home for reference.
``Laundry detergent sets me off. I can't even walk down the detergent aisle in the supermarket,'' said 10-year-old Steven Saunders. ``Colds are also a problem for me. In the winter, it can get really bad.''
But the open house wasn't all fun and games. Before the patients left to go home, each one was given a flu shot to help prevent upper respiratory infections during the cold winter months.
``That's one reason we decided to do this in the fall,'' said Baucom. ``It's a good way to get the children in here for that shot, and it makes it a little fun for them, too.''
For asthma sufferers, Baucom and McCarron have some advice for making it through the winter months:
Avoid people with colds or the flu.
Avoid using a wood burning heat stove. Smoke increases lower respiratory symptoms.
Wear a scarf over your nose and mouth in cold weather.
Get a flu shot.
Renaissance Pediatrics will hold two more asthma workshops for their patients Nov. 7 and 14. More information is available by calling 488-2223. by CNB