health

When Stacy was young, her parents noticed that she seemed to get tired
more quickly than her friends while playing. She also had repeated coughing
spells, and her breathing was sometimes noisy. After examining Stacy,
asking lots of questions, and having her use a little machine to measure
her breathing, the doctor diagnosed her problem as asthma. As part of the
way Stacy took care of herself, she sometimes had to take asthma medicine
at school. This made her teachers and friends interested in learning more
about asthma. When Stacy was 12, she began a school-wide project with
the help of her teacher and the nurse. The goal was to make her school
more comfortable for those who have asthma. No smoking was allowed,
even during after-school events. Extra measures were taken to keep the
school as free as possible of substances that can trigger asthma flares, such
as dust, mold, cockroaches, and strong fumes from paint and chemicals.
A plan was set up that allowed students with asthma to take their own
medicines at school. Special lessons were offered to all students and teachers
about what asthma is and how to help a classmate who has it. The result
was a school that was a healthier place not just for Stacy but for everyone.