| Oregon, 73,000 children have been diagnosed with Asthma. Asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism due to chronic illness. The EPA estimates that 14 million school days are missed nationally each year due to asthma. Beyond absenteeism, uncontrolled asthma affects students by decreasing their ability to participate in physical activities, reducing classroom time by going to the health office to receive rescue medication, and disrupting sleep at night making it difficult for students to be alert and engaged during school. The following programs are offered to Oregon schools to help promote asthma self-management and education
 Open Airways for Schools (OAS) is a volunteer powered program that focuses on 3rd - 5th graders with asthma. OAS was introduced to Oregon in 1995, and has since been used in over 100 elementary schools throughout the state. It is our goal at the American Lung Association of Oregon to have OAS available to every elementary school in the state.
 OAS is an award winning program that empowers students to gain better self control of their asthma, increase self-efficacy of asthma medications, and have more self confidence to achieve goals inside and outside of the classroom. Students learn actions to take during an asthma episode, ways to reduce/eliminate exposure to triggers, how to properly self-administer medications, and how to communicate with parents, teachers, school nurses, and physicians about their asthma.
OAS has an interactive approach utilizing group discussion, stories, games, and role-play to promote children's active involvement. Children who have participated in Open Airways have experience fewer  and less severe asthma attacks, improved academic performance, more confidence in their ability to manage their asthma, and exert greater influence on their parents' asthma management decisions.
 These pictures, drawn by a 4th grader participating in OAS, illustrate the pre and post asthma knowledge gained by participating in Open Airways..
If you are interested in implementing OAS in your school or becoming a volunteer facilitator, please email healthinfo@lungoregon.org or call 503-924-4094.
 Most people are aware that outdoor air pollution in Oregon can be detrimental to their health. However, many Oregonians spend 90% of their time indoors - where air pollution can be several times more detrimental than outside. The American Lung Association is a co-sponsor and supporter of the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools program, developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1995.
 The Tools for Schools program includes and easy to use kit that explains how to carry out a proactive indoor air quality program using common sense and available resources - with a focus on free and low cost solutions. Often, simple steps (removing plug-in fragrances from classrooms) will help improve the air that students and staff breathe. Click here to order a free copy of the Tools for Schools kit for the EPA.
The ALAO is part of a state-wide coalition aimed to increase school participation in Tools for Schools. To learn more about this effort - or to be included in our School IAQ list-serv, please email
healthinfo@lungoregon.org or call 503-924-4094.
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