Asthma (Twenty-First Century Medical Library) [Library Binding]

Wendy Murphy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1998 | Series: Twenty-First Century Medical Library

Examines the various causes of asthma, what happens during an attack, how the disease can be controlled, and theories of treatment.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6 Up-This clear but wordy discussion emphasizes the importance of learning as much as possible about the disease and how it effects individual sufferers. The clinical side is briefly explained while the majority of the text is concerned with daily maintenance-how to organize living spaces, how to manage in school and with friends, and how to deal with emotions. The author encourages good communication with the doctor and advocates strict compliance with the medical plan. However, she gives considerable space to some alternative medical practices. The dark, black-and-white photos have little significance. This book covers the same material as Mona Kerby's Asthma (Watts, 1989; o.p.) and Alvin Silverstein's Asthma (Enslow, 1997).
Martha Gordon, formerly at South Salem Library, NY
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 7^-12. Asthma is on the rise. Perhaps it's because people spend more time indoors, and household insulation has improved, which makes the harboring of allergens more likely. Nowadays, too, medicine has wiped out many childhood illnesses, with the result that the infections kids used to get can't serve a "useful purpose of making people less vulnerable to allergies." Whatever the reasons, the respiratory disease now affects nearly five million youth under age 18. Murphy explains asthma's effects and treatment in careful detail. Readers will find a treasure trove of accessible information, ranging from attack "triggers" (mainly allergens, but also sinus infections, smoke, stress, and numerous others) to an explanation of an asthma attack, respiratory physiology, a medical workup to diagnose asthma, treatment possibilities that include mainstream and alternative therapy possibilities, and consideration of the emotional side of asthma. Asthma sufferers, their families and friends, and students researching the disease will make good use of this informative title. Black-and-white photos; bibliography; list of organizations; glossary. Anne O'Malley

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Library Binding: 128 pages
• Publisher: Millbrook Press (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761303642
• ISBN-13: 978-0761303640
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,384,717 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an excellent book for a young person to learn about asthma and how to cope with the disease ..., March 25, 2011

By 

D. Fowler "Dragonfly77" (Vermont) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Asthma (USA Today Health Reports: Diseases & Disorders) (Hardcover)

There are millions of people who suffer from asthma, "or bronchial asthma, as it is also called." It's one of the leading reasons that children end up in the emergency room and miss school frequently. Asthma, a chronic disease that "affects breathing," cannot be cured, but can often be controlled given proper medical care and attention to things like diet, avoidance of triggers, and taking medications as directed. There are many reasons asthma can develop, but "allergies have become one of the prime causes of asthma." You'll also read about many other factors that contribute to the disease, including things like heredity. Although many want to attribute the disease solely to industrial pollutants, the word asthma, which means "panting," was coined by the ancient Greeks.

You'll get a crash course on how the lungs work, what happens during an asthma attack, and how long they last. If you have asthma, or know someone who does, you certainly know how scary attacks can be because "The degree to which people with asthma react to triggers can range from mild and infrequent to severe and daily." Our immune system produces an immunoglobin called E, or IgE, which tends to be overabundant in asthmatics. This book will tell you all about IgE, allergic reactions, you'll learn what effect global warming is having on asthma, food triggers, and other common allergy-based triggers. Did you know that the "wax on store-bought apples" can set off an attack? It's amazing, but true.

If it is suspected that you may have asthma you will deal with either a pulmonologist or an allergist. You'll learn about the four part workup which includes a medical history, physical exam, lab tests, and a series of allergy tests. When you read the sidebar, "Categories of Asthma," you'll find the information to be quite interesting. There are four types and the chart describes frequency of symptoms, the percentage of normal lung function, and effective treatment measures. You'll learn about preventative measures, the two classes of medications you'll use, and will receive a thorough grounding about what they are all about. There is information on immunotherapy, things that exacerbate your asthma, you'll receive hints on how to minimize your problems, you'll learn how to develop a support system, what you need for daily management (relievers and controllers), how to use an "Asthma Action Plan," and you'll learn about many other aspects of the disease that you can incorporate into your life. In a nut shell, "The goal is to get ahead of the disease by taking medications that prevent or greatly diminish the severity of asthma attacks long before they start."

This is an excellent book for a young person to learn about asthma and how to cope with the disease. I was quite impressed at how well this book tackled the disease from the physiological aspects to the psychological impact of having to deal with asthma on a daily basis. There were many interesting little tidbits of information such as "lungs are least efficient around 4:00 A.M." that may help people understand why they wake during the night unable to breath. There are conversational portraits of young people prefacing each chapter who also have the disease and they discuss how they handle certain aspects of their illness. This multi-faceted book can be read by a wide range of people, enabling them to understand and learn about how they or someone else can cope with asthma. The text is informative without being overly technical. There are numerous informative sidebars scattered throughout the book, photographs, and pertinent USA Today articles. In the back of the book is an index, a glossary, and additional recommended book and website resources to explore. Additional downloadable educational resources are available on the publisher's website.

This book courtesy of the publisher.