Test Your Asthma IQ!

Try your luck with the CAAEC's Asthma IQ test:

 

1. Hospital admissions and emergency room visits for asthma are highest in the month of:

 a) April

 b) May

 c) September

d) October

 

2. The most common asthma trigger for children is:

 a) Second hand smoke

b) Cats

c) Viral infections or colds

d) House dust mites

 

3. 75% of children with asthma also have allergies.

a) True

b) False

 

 4. A child may develop asthma in the first year of life.

a) True

b) False

 

5. Which of the following things can make a child more at risk for developing asthma?

a) Mother has asthma

b) Sibling has asthma

c) Child has eczema

d) Exposure to second hand smoke

e) Wheezing in first year of life

f) All of the above

 

6. In childhood more girls than boys have asthma.

a) True

b) False

 

7. Most children out grow asthma.

a) True

b) False

 

8. According to research less than 50% of people use their asthma medicine as prescribed by their doctor.

a) True

b) False

 

9. Less than 20% of people know how to use their inhaler properly.

a) True

b) False

 

10. Reason(s) for poor asthma control are:

a) Not enough patient eduacation

b) Confusion about medication

c) Not avoiding triggers

d) All of the above

 

 

 

 

And the answers are...

 

1. c) September

 

There are more emergency room visits and hospital admissions for asthma in the month of September than any other month of the year. This increase coincides with the children’s return to school and the spread of colds. Fall also brings many triggers such as outdoor molds, weed pollen, and smoke from stubble burning in the fields.

 

2. c) Viral Infections.

 

Second hand smoke, cats and house dust mites are common asthma triggers but viral infections are the most common trigger. If asthma has not been well controlled, the cold may lead to an asthma attack and possibly a visit to the emergency room.

 

3. a) True

 

Allergies to dust mites, cats, dogs, mould and pollen are common in many children with asthma. Avoiding these allergy triggers is an important part of keeping asthma controlled.

 

4. a) True

 

Children can be diagnosed with asthma in the first year of life.

 

5. f) All of the above

 

Asthma tends to run in families. If a close family member (parent, brother, or sister) has asthma, allergies (hayfever), or eczema (allergic skin problem), a young child has a greater chance of developing asthma. Children exposed to tobacco smoke in early life are more likely to develop asthma, allergies, and viral infections. Certain viral infections in early life may also increase the chance of a child developing asthma.

 

6. b) False

 

In childhood twice as many boys have asthma compared to girls.

 

7. b) False

 

About 2/3 of children will continue to have asthma symptoms throughout life. Children, whohave allergies, eczema, or a family history of asthma, allergies, or eczema, are less likely to outgrow asthma. There is no cure for asthma, but asthma symptoms sometimes improve as a child gets older. About 1/3 of children improve their asthma symptoms by puberty (age 11-13 yrs) but asthma may reappear in adult life.

 

8. a) True

 

Less than 50% of people use their asthma medicine as prescribed by their doctor. Some reasons for this may include not understanding how the medicines work, concern of side effects, not able to afford medicines. Learning more about how the asthma medicines work can improve compliance with medicine.

 

9. a) True

 

Using your inhaler properly will help medicine to be more effective. If you want to find out if your child is using their asthma medicine device the right way, check out our website at asthma-education.com Look under Asthma How-Tos for video clips of the correct technique or phone the CAEC to meet with an asthma educator to review technique.

 

10. d) All of the above.


Learning more about asthma, understanding your medicines and making good decisions about asthma triggers are an important part of asthma control. Families who graduated from our Family Asthma Program© (FAP) at the CAEC have fewer emergency room visits and hospital admissions for asthma.

 

Your "Asthma IQ"

9-10 correct answers, you scored a high asthma IQ.

 

6-8 correct answers, you are asthma aware.


0-5 correct answers, you may want to improve your asthma IQ by visiting our website or speaking with one of our Certified Asthma Eduactors.

 

A high Asthma IQ is great, but controlling asthma takes more than just knowing the right answer. Asthma Control requires taking an active part in caring for your child’s asthma every day.