WASHINGTON — The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) has released a new free program designed to help some of the most vulnerable patients: really young kids with asthma. AAFA’s Wee Breathers™ program — made possible by a cooperative agreement between AAFA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — provides asthma educators with a curriculum and tools to use in patients’ homes and child care centers. The free downloadable materials can be found at www.aafa.org/WeeBreathers.
About the Program
The purpose of AAFA’s Wee Breathers program is to equip asthma educators with the information and materials they need to educate parents and other caregivers of young children about the most current best-practices for asthma management, with a special unique emphasis on controlling common indoor and outdoor asthma triggers. Since young children spend most of their time at home or other caregiver sites like child care centers, Wee Breathers focuses on how to assess and deal with the unique asthma management issues in these settings. The program’s flexible approach and engaging activities create a relaxed and interactive learning environment between families and asthma educators.
Instructors for this program should be Certified Asthma Educators (AE-C), or other health professionals who are experienced with pediatric asthma management. The program consists of 7 one-hour lessons, two checklists for identifying indoor and outdoor asthma triggers, an Instructor’s Guide, as well as several easy-to-use and easy-to-read handouts for families. All program materials are available free-of-charge on the Foundation’s website, www.aafa.org/WeeBreathers.
Wee Breathers was developed and reviewed by an advisory team of asthma education professionals, then field-tested with experienced asthma educators across the U.S. during home visits and in groups of parents from the same child care center. The program is made possible by a cooperative agreement between AAFA and the National Asthma Control Program of the CDC.
About AAFA
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), a not-for-profit organization founded in 1953, is the leading patient organization for people with asthma, allergies, and related conditions. AAFA is dedicated to improving the quality of life for patients through education, advocacy, and research. AAFA provides practical information, community based services and support through a network of regional chapters, support groups and other local partners around the United States. For more information, visit www.aafa.org.