Seven's on Call with Dr. Jay Adlersberg.
We all know that asthma can be complicated by environmental factors. One program which is run by New York Presbyterian Hospital at Columbia offers resident of the area some very important home care.
Eight-year-old Esmelinda Perez has a beautiful bedroom with dolls and a pink TV.
But also there, is her asthma medicine, a condition, for which she was recently hospitalized.
"She had an acute event which really put her over the top and ended with an intensive care unit admission," Dr. Adriana Matiz at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital said. "She was in the hospital for almost 4 to 5 days."
And now the family is getting a home assessment visit --part of a year long program -- to help them reduce the triggers that can exacerbate the child's asthma.
Family asthma worker Yamilca Alardo has a checklist of environmental triggers and strategies for change.
She'll check for dust, for mold, for pests and will suggest changes the family can make like fixing the hole near the kitchen ceiling. It's a place where roaches and mice can enter.
In the bedroom, the air conditioning filter is perfectly clean - the way it has to be kept.
But most of the stuffed toys and dust collectors have got to go. Donate them, she suggests gently. You can keep some of them but they have to be kept clean and free of dust.
Mom says she'll do anything for her daughter's wellbeing.
"Anything that is for her well-being, I will gladly do it," mother said.
Across town, Stacey Lopez's mom, Yarelis, has already finished her year long program and made the changes suggested to keep Stacey's asthma in check.
Leaky pikes were fixed, the rug removed, curtains changed, and even plants were changed.
After all those changes she got a whole lot better.
Upwards of 2/3s of the families actually by the end of the program have reduced triggers within their homes.
The goal of the program is to reduce the number of asthma attacks, reduce hospitalization and days lost from school.
'WIN for Asthma' provides comprehensive care coordination services to families of children with severe asthma in Northern Manhattan.
To request program information or to refer a child with severe asthma, please call the WIN for Asthma Hotline: 212-305-2076
For general program Information, visit www.mcanonline.org or www.columbia.edu/itc/hs/medical/
And it's not too late to take part in tomorrow's Asthma Walk. WABC is a sponsor of the walk in Battery Park.
To join the Asthma Walk, click HERE!
