ALBANY, N.Y., Dec. 3 -- Asthma is a chronic disease that affects over 370,000 children in New York State. In order to raise awareness of asthma and its symptoms among sports and fitness leaders who work with children, the New York State Department of Health has launched the "Winning with Asthma" Coach's Asthma Clipboard Program in New York. "Winning with Asthma" is an online program created to help coaches learn about asthma, how it affects an athlete's ability to compete, and how they can help athletes control asthma while playing their best.
"Asthma is a serious chronic disease among children, with over 45,000 asthma hospitalizations per year for children ages 0-17," says Marilyn Kacica, MD, MPH, Medical Director, New York State Department of Health. "As a physician and mother of a child with asthma, I think it is important for coaches and other fitness leaders who work with children to understand the disease and know what to do to help children control their asthma, especially in the event of an asthma attack."
Geared towards sports coaches and fitness leaders, the "Winning with Asthma" program provides free, online training on asthma to any interested New York State resident. The participant views a 30-minute informative video at www.winningwithasthma.org and completes an online survey. Upon completion, the participant receives an asthma pamphlet and a clipboard outlining the appropriate course of action to best assist an athlete during an asthma attack.
"By participating in the Winning with Asthma online course, I now know more about what asthma is and what I can do to help a child before they experience symptoms as well as after," says Ron Annis, a Trainer at Columbia High School. "As a coach, I feel more confident in working with children with asthma because of the online training. By understanding asthma symptoms and triggers, coaches can support the doctor's plan for controlling asthma on the field and help children participate in activities and play sports just like anyone else."
More than 8,000 individuals from various states and communities have completed the "Winning with Asthma" educational training. The campaign was first developed in Utah and Minnesota, and is now available in seven states, including New York. This campaign expansion is funded by the National Lieutenant Governors Association.
For more information about "Winning with Asthma," or to take the online course, visit www.winningwithasthma.org.
SOURCE New York State Department of Health
