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A
participant learns to use a peak flow meter.
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 arlier
this month, Children’s teamed up with the Boston
Public Health Commission to host the second annual Boston Asthma
Games, an event that educates children with asthma about their chronic
condition while showing them that they can enjoy physical activity
just like other kids.
[ what
is asthma ? ]
For half of the day, more than 50 participants between 5 and 12
years old played games such as flag football and soccer on the fields
of the Roxbury branch of the YMCA. Later, the games moved to the
indoor pool—a setting that is often considered off-limits for asthmatic
children. “
One of my favorite parts of the event is to see kids in a pool,”
says Amy Burack, RN, Community Asthma
Program manager, who coordinated the event. “This kind of activity
tells the kids, ‘you have asthma and you can do anything.’” One
of the biggest changes from last year’s event was better incorporation
of kids’ families into the activities. Children with asthma participated
in the same games as their siblings without asthma, and parents
found a wealth of information about the chronic illness. Organizers
explained appropriate classification of asthma, daily control methods,
proper management plans and how to deal with asthma during the hot
months of summer. “
We hope the education will trickle down to kids through the parents,”
says Burack. “Even more important, by promoting the link between
asthma health and physical activity, we showed the children that
their asthma can be controlled—it doesn’t have to control them.”
Margaret Reid, RN, director of the
city’s Asthma Prevention and Control program, praised the event
for its successful approach. “These games provide an opportunity
for children with asthma to participate in physical activity in
a safe, supportive environment. It also helps their caretakers relax
and see what these kids are capable of.”-ZB
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