Illinois Chapter AAP

ICAAP no longer offers its “Get in the Zone” office-based asthma provider education program to pediatric health care professionals throughout the state. However, ICAAP remains actively involved in various asthma coalitions and provider/professional education activities throughout the state.

Illinois Department of Public Health Asthma Section

Chicago Asthma Consortium
The Chicago Asthma Consortium is a coalition of medical and public health professionals, business leaders, government agencies, community-based organizations, and individuals dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with asthma through networking, information sharing, and collaboration.

The Asthma Action Plan for Chicago: Addressing Asthma in Englewood Project
Addressing Asthma in Englewood builds upon existing infrastructures to address community concerns about the high rates of asthma morbidity in the Englewood area, a low-income African American community on the South side of Chicago.The Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago (RHAMC), along with 20 collaborators including ICAAP, has been using a multi-factorial approach to decrease asthma morbidity in this community.This program and the related services are funded in part by a grant from the Merck Childhood Asthma Network, Inc.

ICAAP has been involved with the project for the past three years by educating pediatric health care providers in the Englewood community on various issues related to pediatric asthma, including the new NHLBI guidelines. Educational programs were presented at a St. Bernard Hospital pediatric department meeting and at the family practice residency training program at Provident Hospital. ICAAP members and expert faculty have also presented a session on asthma cases to family practice residents at Provident Hospital; conducted an in-depth spirometry training session for providers at a Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) clinic; presented sessions on health literacy at both St. Bernard Hospital and the CDPH clinic; and engaged a pediatrician-nurse team in the national AAP smoking cessation training program.

More information on the program can be found at the RHAMC Web site
or by contacting Maureen Damitz, Senior Director of Programs, RHAMC, at 312/ 628-0229 or mdamitz@lungchicago.org.

Asthma can afflict anyone – from the very young to the elderly. With over 5 million children currently suffering from asthma, pediatricians are busy not only with diagnosing and treating, but also managing this disease. One of the most effective ways both a provider and patient can manage an asthma diagnosis is by utilizing an asthma action plan. Per the most recent National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Guidelines, all patients with acute exacerbations and all moderate to severe persistent asthma patients should have a written action plan.

What makes an action plan such an integral part of managing asthma? The idea behind the asthma action plan is that along with their providers, patients will be able to design a plan to help them manage their asthma, thereby helping them understand their symptomology as well as feel more in control of their child’s asthma. The asthma action plan is a simple form designed around a zone system, which allows each form to be tailored to an individual’s needs or assigned severity level. The zone system consists of three “zones:” green, yellow, and red, with meanings synonymous with those of a stoplight.

The green zone is the “all clear” zone. The green zone indicates that patient’s symptoms are well-controlled, their peak flow is reading between 80-100% and they are able to do their usual activities without any limitations. The yellow zone is the “caution” zone. This zone indicates that patient’s symptoms have increased, their peak flow is reading between 50-80%, and their activities have become somewhat limited. There is also an increased need for medication. The red zone is the “medical alert” zone. This zone indicates that patients are suffering from an exacerbation of their symptoms, their peak flow is reading at 50% of their personal best, and their activities are severely limited. In the red zone, patient’s symptoms have been active for longer than 24 hours and have not been helped or reduced by their asthma medications.

Use of the zone system helps the patient decide when to increase, decrease, or add medications. It is important that the parent/patient understands this and discusses their plan with their providers, thus giving them control of the child’s asthma. Parents and patients become very anxious when they don’t know what to do or when to do it. Zone management can either be by peak flow or by symptom management. Most children under 5 years of age need to be managed by symptoms. You can add signs and symptoms to the yellow zone that you want the parent to look for. The peak flow zones should be based on the patient’s personal best numbers.

Every patient should have a management plan and it should be updated at each visit. Keep it simple but complete. Click here for a sample asthma action plan that can be downloaded and tailored to your needs. A sample action plan for children under five years of age is also available.

ICAAP developed this brochure for patients and families about asthma triggers through the support of the AMA Foundation as part of a project on health literacy. The brochure features information on triggers in the home, outdoor, and related to pets. It uses pictures and language that make it understandable to everyone. To access the brochure click here.