Pediatric Asthma Teaching at Denver Health

Erin HoffmanMarsha DavisLaura SawickyErin Blakeslee

Patient ConditionPresentation:

❖ 5 year old male❖ Difficulty breathing: SOB, tripod position❖ Previous Hx:

➢ Treatment 6 months ago for a viral respiratory infection

➢ More recent treatment for similar respiratory symptoms. Follow up care was recommended, but family was unable

➢ Respiratory episode once a week since➢ Father and Grandparents smoke inside the

home

Patient ConditionDiagnostics:

❖ Chest x-ray❖ Spirometry ❖ ENT Specialist

Results:❖ This patient’s spirometry results were consistent with

a diagnosis of mild persistent asthma

Patient ConditionPathophysiology:

❖ Inflammatory response to allergen or noxious stimuli (smoke)

❖ Provokes:➢ Bronchospasm➢ Airway edema➢ Mucus secretion

❖ Results in:➢ Airway resistance (requiring forced expiration)➢ Air trapped in lungs - no new air can get in➢ Wheezing from bronchospasm

Patient ConditionTreatment Modalities:

❖ Allergen Control➢ Remove environmental triggers and allergens

❖ Drug Therapy➢ Corticosteroids (oral or inhaled)➢ Beta-adrenergic agonists (Albuterol)

Existing Teaching Resource

❖Educational booklet, containing

text with few pictures. ❖Educational DVD for asthma

management.

New Teaching Tool

❖No such thing as a universal technique.➢ Must be sensitive to the developmental level

of each patient.❖Child participation in treatment

increases compliance.❖ It takes time and it takes a team!

What We Learned