ASTHMA ESSENTIALS; CLASS TEACHES CHILDREN COPING SKILLS.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Daily News Staff Writer

Having lived with asthma since he was a baby, 10-year-old Alex Economu said he still learned a lot about the lung disease in a special asthma education program offered by Antelope Valley Hospital.

He learned that having an asthma attack is like sucking on a straw that's pinched and about how to use a special tube-like chamber called a spacer that attaches to an inhaler to better administer medication.

``It was fun. I learned a lot about asthma that I didn't already know,'' Economu said of the class he took last year. ``You learned a lot from what they were talking about. It wasn't scary.''

The program is called ``Open Airways for Schools,'' offered in conjunction with the American Lung Association to deal with a chronic health condition that affects an estimated 11.7 million Americans - up 48.6 percent since 1982.

In the Antelope Valley, Asthma is the No. 1 reason children are admitted to Antelope Valley Hospital's pediatric unit.

Nationwide, asthma is the leading serious chronic illness among children, accounts for 10 million lost school days annually and is the leading cause of school absenteeism attributed to chronic conditions.

The local school program has been operating for a year in the Lancaster and Westside Union school districts. About 70 children from seven schools have taken the course.

Students identified as having asthma get parent permission to sign up for six 40-minute classes held during school time, said Tammy Schellenberg, the hospital's community outreach nurse.

Children learn what triggers asthma attacks, its symptoms and how to manage an episode - the preferred, less frightening term to describe a bout with breathing difficulty.

``When we ask how many felt they were going to die, all raise their hands. It's a wonderful way to learn they can manage their asthma and they are not going to die,'' said Schellenberg, who teaches the program with school nurses. ``One of the triggers is anxiety. If they are in the middle of a full-blown episode and get scared, it only makes it worse. The program teaches how to manage it so that they don't get to that point.''

When an asthma episode comes on, the muscles around the bronchial tubes tighten and the airways swell and produce mucus, Schellenberg said.

The triggers include animal dander, exertion, cold weather, pollen, cigarette smoke and strong emotions like anxiety, Schellenberg said.

As part of the program, children receive a spacer and a peak flow meter, a breathing apparatus that helps the child judge whether he needs medication, how well he is responding to asthma medication, or whether he needs to see a doctor.

They also learn the five steps for asthma management: first, be alert to warning signs, such as a dry and scratchy throat, coughing, wheezing, and burning and runny eyes; tell an adult; take their medication; rest and relax; then cough and breathe deeply after an episode to expel mucus.

There are practical tips, like drinking water to remove the taste of ``yucky,'' medication and advice on how to stay active, like playing baseball instead of soccer, Schellenberg said.

Nancy Elmore, the hospital's director of community outreach, said the program was started after school nurses indicated they needed such a program.

``When kids stay home, it affects their attendance and can't recap days missed,'' Elmore said. ``The more you keep them in school, the better it is for kids to do well.''

Elmore added once children learn to better manage asthma attacks, they don't have to come to the emergency room or be admitted to the pediatric unit.

Debbie Ogan, Antelope Valley Hospital's director of pediatrics, said studies show that teaching about managing symptoms and identifying triggers is helpful in reducing the number of episodes and decreasing their severity.

Alex's mother, Robin Blakely-Stroginis, said she is glad both her son and 7-year-old daughter, Chelsea, who also has asthma, took the ``Open Airways'' class.

``It was their first opportunity to have an educational setting describing their condition. They learned in the past at the doctor's office when they were sick,'' Blakely-Stroginis said. ``This was a time when they could feel good, go to school, and be taught something that was directly involving them. It took the scariness out of it.''

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color) Anthony Williams, 10, demonstrates a peak flow meter, a device used to indicate if asthma medication is required during an episode.

(2--Color) During an asthma education class, Michael Dorowsky, 8, demonstrates the use of a spacer for an inhaler.

(3) Tammy Schellenberg leads an ``Open Airways'' class, aimed at teaching children about asthma.

Jeff Goldwater/Daily News