Newswise — Parenting expert Jo Frost is a trusted fixture in many parents’ lives, sharing no-nonsense advice for frazzled families. She also knows from personal experience what it’s like to live with asthma. Now she has joined up with Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA), the leading patient advocacy group for asthma and allergy, to launch a new educational campaign to help parents better manage their children’s asthma, Time 2 Talk Asthma.
“Jo Frost’s refreshingly positive and practical approach to managing her own asthma exemplifies AANMA’s conviction that children with asthma today do not need to suffer; the goal is to help them lead active and productive lives,” said Nancy Sander, Founder and President of AANMA. “Many families will be welcoming Jo Frost into their homes for the new season of ‘Supernanny’ in October. Just as Jo provides parenting tools that work, AANMA provides practical asthma management tools families have relied on for nearly 25 years. We are grateful that the partnership is made possible by Merck.”
"Parents of children with asthma have a big job on their hands. Not only are they dealing with all the day-to-day parenting challenges, they also have to coordinate care for the child with asthma which at first can seem daunting," said Jo Frost. "Our goal is to show parents how to make the most of each conversation with health care providers, caregivers and others involved in the care of their children."
The campaign’s hub is a new website, www.Time2TalkAsthma.com, which features downloadable tools such as an asthma symptom diary and an asthma action plan, as well as a valuable comprehensive brochure packed with tips to help parents tackle issues that may arise when raising a child with asthma. The Time 2 Talk Asthma downloadable brochure contains four sections: Talking with Your Child, Talking with Your Child's Doctor, Managing Asthma at Home, and Managing Asthma outside the Home.
Time 2 Talk Asthma gives parents the advice they need about teaching children age-appropriate self-management skills, coping with sibling rivalry, setting up a daily asthma routine, tips for safe play with friends, making the most of each doctor’s appointment, and other topics.
"Learning how to identify asthma symptoms, avoiding allergens and irritants and better understanding the condition are some of the measures parents can take to help control their child's asthma," said James Sublett, MD, AANMA Medical Advisor." As a pediatric allergist, I take the time necessary to listen to the concerns of parents and my patients, because the more they tell me, the better able I am to create an asthma action plan that is workable at home, school and play. That's why having an open dialogue is so important."
Time 2 Talk is sponsored and funded by Merck & Co., Inc. About Jo FrostJo Frost was catapulted to international fame when she became the star of a new reality show, "Supernanny." The show debuted in the U.S. in 2005, and became an overnight sensation, garnering widespread popularity and acclaim. Jo says that children have always been a big part of her life. With over 20 years in childcare, she has honed her successful methods of child rearing with hands-on, real-life experience. Jo Frost was diagnosed with asthma at age 5, and appreciates the challenges that parents and caregivers of children with asthma may face. By participating with the Time 2 Talk Asthma campaign, she hopes to impart some of her parenting expertise and provide tips and tools for families of children living with asthma.
About AANMAFounded in 1985, Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics is the leading national nonprofit family organization dedicated to eliminating suffering and death due to asthma, allergies and related conditions. AANMA’s core areas of expertise are education, advocacy and outreach. The organization’s www.aanma.org website and award-winning publications, Allergy & Asthma Today magazine and The MA Report newsletter, are consumer lifelines to medical news and healthy living.
For more information, call 800.878.4403 or visit www.aanma.org. You can also follow AANMA on Twitter, at http://twitter.com/AANMA, and on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Allergy-Asthma-Network-Mothers-of-Asthmatics-AANMA/116547477418.
About MerckMerck & Co., Inc. is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, Merck discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines to address unmet medical needs. The company devotes extensive efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programs that not only donate Merck medicines but help deliver them to the people who need them. For more information, visit www.merck.com.
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