For Immediate Release
Is a Written Asthma Action Plan for Children Necessary?
Contact: Kathryn Ryan
914-740-2250
kryan@liebertpub.com
New Rochelle, NY, May 13, 2016—Parents of children with asthma need ongoing education and guidance on this chronic condition and how to prevent and manage symptoms, but does a written asthma action plan improve outcomes more than ongoing asthma education? Dr. John Kelso explores this question in a recent review published in Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology website until June 13, 2016.
John M. Kelso, MD, Scripps Clinic (San Diego, CA), states that an asthma action plan is essentially the same for all children—use albuterol for symptoms and call if it is not helping—and can be conveyed orally to parents and caregivers in the home and school settings. Guideline recommendations for elaborate written action plans are based on expert opinion, but published research studies have determined that they do not lead to better asthma outcomes. In the article “Do Written Asthma Action Plans Improve Outcomes?” Dr. Kelso emphasizes the importance of reinforcing asthma education, e.g., how medications work and how to use them, at healthcare visits rather than focusing on written actions plans.
“We have a unique opportunity in pediatrics. Regular discussions with families can improve patient-provider communication and help the affected child and their parents to achieve a greater understanding of their asthma,” says Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology Editor-in-Chief Mary Cataletto, MD, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, State University of New York at Stony Brook. Developing asthma self management skills requires discussion and a dedicated time commitment. “Dr. Kelso’s review emphasizes that the key factor is the education.”
About the Journal
Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology is a quarterly, peer-reviewed journal published online with open access options and in print that synthesizes the pulmonary, allergy, and immunology communities in the advancement of the respiratory health of children. Led by Editor-in-Chief Mary Cataletto, MD, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, State University of New York at Stony Brook, the Journal provides comprehensive coverage to further the understanding and optimize the treatment of some of the most common and costly chronic illnesses in children. It includes original translational, clinical, and epidemiologic research; public health, quality improvement, and case control studies; patient education research; and the latest research and standards of care for functional and genetic immune deficiencies and interstitial lung diseases. Tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Pediatric Allergy, Immunology, and Pulmonology website.
About the Publisher
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Journal of Aerosol Medicine and Pulmonary Drug Delivery, Breastfeeding Medicine, and Population Health Management. Its biotechnology trade magazine, GEN (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News), was the first in its field and is today the industry’s most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm’s 80 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website.