Children's Asthma Program

The primary goals of Children’s Asthma Program at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) are to provide comprehensive: diagnostic evaluation, self-management planning and education, and monitoring for children with asthma and related disorders. In addition to asthma education in the clinic, the asthma team supports a one week, summer day camp for children ages 7-12. Children older than 12 years old can apply to attend camp as a junior counselor. These junior counselors have usually attended previous camps and are good role models for asthma management. Activities during camp include extensive periods of physical activities, e.g. soccer, swimming, karate and team building exercises.
The camp provides developmentally-based, interactive education for asthma management and opportunities for children to apply that information in daily activities. Camp staff created a 3-D anatomical model, “Radical Randy” whose chest opens to show the difference between healthy airways on one side and inflamed airways on the other. The camp curriculum has been animated and is available on DVD with Radical Randy as the teacher. The DVD is distributed at no charge to health providers in Texas via the Texas Asthma Coalition to health providers, based on funding provided by the Fraternal Order of Eagles.