Summer camp isn?t all fun in the sun.
The American Lung Association of Maryland is hosting a weeklong summer camp geared toward educating low-income children with asthma about their disease.
“Having asthma doesn?t mean you can?t lead a normal life,” said Claire Mullins, public relations officer for the association.
Camp Superkids kicked off on Monday in Laytonsville with 59 children representing nine different Maryland counties. Many of the
children in the program are from low-income families and are sponsored by scholarship to attend the camp.
“Most people understand the cost of asthma is really high,” Mullins said. According to the 2004 report from the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, one year?s worth of bills for asthma-related treatments in the state were $41 million for outpatients, and $28 million for emergency room visits.
“The purpose of the camp is to help children understand the disease aswell as overcome asthma attacks,” in order to prevent hospitalization and save money for the community, Mullins said.
Mark Liu, associate professor of pulmonary medicine at Johns
Hopkins University, said one of the biggest obstacles for parents of children who have asthma is educating them about their disease.
“Children don?t understand about triggers,” he said, which means they have trouble fighting off or preventing attacks. “Teaching them to use medication properly and inhaler technique” is something doctors and parents should focus on, Liu said.
Alongside a licensed respiratory therapist, children at the camp learn about asthma symptoms and triggers such as hot or cold weather and dust, Mullins said.
“The goal is to teach kids general information on the anatomy of the lungs,” she said.
But education is not the only reason for parents to send their children to camp. Recreational activities, including arts and crafts, team-building activities and field trips are also a part of the camp experience.
“The best way to teach is by entertaining them,” Mullins said. “It?s a great learning experience. Most kids don?t have the means to get knowledge before [attacks]. It?s a great opportunity to avoid a situation that might be frightening for kids.”
