GREAT NECK, NY -- When only a toddler, Adrian Balkcom, now six years old, was first diagnosed with asthma. He knows exactly what can trigger his asthma attack, like coughing, wheezing, rapid shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing and tightness in his chest, which can be life-threatening. He has seen his 10-year-old brother Julian, who was diagnosed with asthma at age two, suffer whenever he gets a common cold – another trigger for asthma. For as long as he can remember, Adrian and his brother have struggled to fight off attacks of this common chronic disease of childhood. 

Asthma is now considered an epidemic, with an estimated 300 million people worldwide suffering from the disease. Many parents in the United States know little about asthma, which experts say is why many of the nine million children under age 18 – including two million sufferers under age five, are not receiving adequate treatment.  The Balkcom brothers are lucky, as their parents know that asthma may run in families and they have been tested and diagnosed by an asthma expert. All of the boys’ family members, teachers, and friends have been educated about their condition, and the adults are aware of the symptoms that might trigger an attack, such as fatigue and lack of energy, restlessness during sleep, unusual paleness, sweating, anxiety and irritability.

Asthma can occur at any age, including infancy, but most children are diagnosed by age five. With the number of asthma cases rising, James Fagin, MD, director of the Center for Pediatric Asthma at Schneider Children’s Hospital, has said that more than 15 percent of all emergency room visits in the United States are asthma related. “It’s estimated that American children lose over 10 million school days due to asthma, which is three times the school absences of children who don’t have asthma,” said Dr. Fagin.

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that causes the airways to become blocked, narrowed or tightened, causing shortness of breath and making it very difficult to breathe. Attacks are often triggered by some type of viral infections, breathing cold air, sudden weather changes, tobacco smoke, exercising, environmental irritants like paint fumes and aerosol sprays, or allergens such as dust mites, mold, pollen animal dander or cockroach debris. 

Tune into Medical Update this Saturday, December 12 at 11 a.m. to meet Adrian and his family, and learn how to be proactive about asthma, understand the diagnosis and the treatments, and hear about the newest, quick-relief medications and long-term control medications. Other guests include James Fagin, MD, director of the Center for Pediatric Asthma at Schneider Children’s Hospital and Ed Cranston, supervisor of the hospital’s pediatric pulmonary lab. Medical Update is broadcast on WLNY-TV, which can be seen on Channel 10 on Long Island Cablevision and Verizon FiOS TV, and on Channel 55 on Time Warner Cable, DirecTV and DishTV.

Contact: Elaine Wohl
                516-465-2600/2615
                ewohl@nshs.edu