Breathe Easy. Play Hard

I’ve noticed that there have been many articles written about the rise in the incidence of asthma in children.  There has been a particularly high increase in urban areas.  This topic is a concern for parents, school nurses, teachers, coaches and children.

 

Should these children be permitted to play outside and run around in the younger grades?  Should they be allowed to play team sports as they get older?  Do they have to be sidelined to be healthy?

 

There is a wonderful website that is written by a prominent pediatric pulmonologist that addresses these questions as well as many other aspects of this issue:  www.breatheeasyplayhard.com

 

This site is written in lay terms and discusses causes, symptoms, management, what triggers attacks, and more.  It also provides interviews and videos with celebrities such as Lindsey Lohan, Liza Minelli, NY Ranger players, politicians, musicians, athletes and just regular kids.

 

The Starlight Starbright asthma game, Quest for the Code®, found on www.breatheeasyplayhard.com, weaves education about asthma management into an engaging adventure that will have kids and teens playing for hours.  Quest for the Code® combines asthma education with rich graphics, an engaging storyline and the talent of eleven top celebrities to help kids learn how to manage their asthma.  There’s even a space where a parent or child can email Dr. Janis Schaeffer with a question and receive a response.

Your child or student does not have to sit on the sidelines and not feel good about him/herself anymore.  Please learn more by visiting this website and help to spread the word about this prevalent and common disease.

Win/Win/Win for Teachers, Students and Parents

We all want to be able to make a difference in education and in children's lives.  However, not everyone is able to make the large donations often associated with philanthropists who donate to the public school systems.  Here is your chance to contribute; http://www.donorschoose.org allows anyone to donate, from the smallest amount to a large one, to impact public school education and children's lives.

Hundreds of school projects are listed at http://www.donorschoose.org, projects that are posted by teachers in schools that don't have the funding to cover them.  DonorsChoose.org is dedicated to addressing the scarcity and inequitable distribution of learning materials and experiences in our public schools. This is a website for teachers to request funding for innovative ideas for their classrooms, as well as a place for individuals to be able to donate to a worthwhile cause.

Project proposals at DonorsChoose.org range from "Where Did All the Pencils Go?" ($60), to "Dictionaries for At-Home Use" ($259), to "Geological Field Trip" ($2,000). Most proposals are not simply requests for materials, but fantastic ideas for helping students learn. You choose the project that is of interest to you and there is complete accountability by the organization. DonorsChoose.org provides "end to end" integrity. They screen each project proposal before posting it online; purchase the materials for the teacher (shipping directly to the school), and compile photographs, student thank-you notes, and a teacher impact letter as feedback for the donor(s).

Teachers, you CAN teach that innovative lesson!  Just post your request on http://www.donorschoose.org.  Parents you CAN make a difference in public school education, and also donate in memory or honor of someone!  Just look at the proposals at http://www.donorchoose.org.  You'll be helping teachers, you'll be helping students and you'll be helping yourself!