Here's more on Asthma:
By Sarah Wyatt
The Associated Press
W A S H I N G T O N,ÿÿÿMay 21 - Hillary Rodham Clinton today called for better education and preventive measures against asthma, a disease that affects about 5 million children in the United States.
ÿÿÿÿ While most children celebrate the freedom that comes with the dog days of summer, others lament the smog, ozone and other allergens in the air that can cause frightening asthma attacks. Cases of asthma among preschoolers rose 160 percent from 1980 to 1994, Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala said.
ÿÿÿÿ "We know asthma is the most common medical threat to America's children and the problem is getting worse. That is why we are trying to sound the alarm," Clinton said.
ÿÿÿÿ Asthma is a chronic lung disease that triggers episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, tightness of the chest and coughing. People with asthma spend almost 100 million days of restricted activity each year, and children who suffer from asthma miss about twice as many school days as other children.
ÿÿÿÿ Clinton announced efforts to educate parents and communities about how to handle and prevent asthma attacks. A new National Ozone Map gives ozone levels and forecasts daily and will be provided to local weather broadcasts and on the Internet by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Pilot Program to Come
The Clinton administration will also conduct a pilot program to identify and prevent environmental risks to children in 11 communities. Local health care providers, teachers, government officials and business owners will work together to reduce children's health risks.
ÿÿÿÿ Sesame Street's Elmo and Luis joined Clinton for the announcements at Children's National Medical Center. Children's Television Workshop and the American Lung Association have created a multimedia packet called "Sesame Street A is for Asthma," a nationwide, bilingual childhood asthma awareness project.
ÿÿÿÿ Luis sang "The Breathing Song" while the children and Clinton impersonated elephants to show the importance of breathing deeply.
ÿÿÿÿ Luis noted that the cast of Sesame Street sent their best wishes, with the exception of the notorious Oscar the Grouch. Luis quoted him as saying: "Try to imagine how little I care."
ÿÿÿÿ Apparently, Oscar is not an asthma sufferer. |
