With Asthma, You Can SAIL Through Life

05/07/2008

Indianapolis - In recognition of Asthma Awareness Month [May], Riley Hospital for Children wants to remind families with overweight and asthmatic children that they can "SAIL"- Stay Active in Life - and do the same things other children do.

Riley's Asthma Care Center has launched SAIL, a self-guided, interactive, web-based program designed to help overweight, asthmatic patients make wise decisions, gain self-confidence and have fun in the process.

"When children with asthma become actively involved with managing their care, wonderful things can happen," said Michelle Howenstine, M.D., with the Riley Asthma Care Center. "Through participating in SAIL, youth experience what it feels like to take control of their lives, instead of letting asthma take control of them."

SAIL features four dynamic sections - Nutrition, Physical Activity, Asthma Education and Being Yourself - and allows youth and their families to move at their own pace to complete the program. All participants receive a SAIL binder to keep notes about educational topics, goals and progress. Throughout the program, participants meet monthly with Riley's pulmonary team - physical therapists, dietitians, social workers and nurses - to discuss advancement toward their goals.

The SAIL program provides quality, patient-focused care and has been embraced enthusiastically by patients and families. Currently, there is a short waiting list for admission to the program.

Statistics have proven that asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism - 12.8 million days of school were missed by children ages 5-17 in 2003. SAIL will also help reduce the number of missed school days by helping kids make healthy choices and keep their asthma symptoms under control.

About Asthma:

• Asthma is a respiratory disorder that is chronic and caused by narrowing or obstruction of the airways or breathing tubes.
• Asthma is defined as recurrent and reversible episodes of airway obstruction.
• Asthma symptoms include:
  • coughing;
  • wheezing described as a whistling sound heard on exhalation;
  • chest tightness;
  • shortness of breath; and
  • feeling tired, lacking energy.
• Asthma is the third-ranking cause of non injury-related hospitalization among children younger than 15 years of age.
• In 2007, approximately $14.7 billion were directly associated with the medical care costs of asthma.

For more information or to register for SAIL please visit www.rileyhospital.org/racc or call 317.274.7208.