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Florida Department of Health in Orange County highlights free asthma education and home-visit program
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Summary
The Florida Department of Health in Orange County described a free asthma education and home-visit program for Orange County residents with children diagnosed with asthma, offering trigger identification, personalized action plans and resources. Residents can call (407) 858-1400 or visit orange.floridahealth.gov.
The Florida Department of Health in Orange County on-air segment introduced a free asthma education and home-visit program intended to help families identify household triggers and manage asthma symptoms, officials said.
Dr. Latwika Salmon Trejo, chronic disease and bureau of violence and injury prevention program manager at the Florida Department of Health in Orange County, said asthma "is a serious and sometimes life-threatening condition" in which airway muscles tighten and narrow the lungs, leading to difficulty breathing. The department emphasized a focus on household exposures that often make symptoms worse, particularly in the evening when people are at home.
"Our asthma education and home visiting program is where we'll send a team member out to do a home visit to identify these personalized asthma triggers in your home," Salmon Trejo said. She listed common triggers the teams often find, including dust mites on sheets and carpets, pet allergens and certain insects, and said humidity and the type of HVAC system can also increase symptoms.
Salmon Trejo said the program provides families with tailored action plans for home, work and school, and includes education on the signs and symptoms of asthma so caregivers can better distinguish an asthma attack from other causes of breathing difficulty. She added that genetics can make some people more sensitive to environmental allergens and that children ages 5–18 may become less sensitive as lungs grow or as exposures are reduced.
The program is free to Orange County residents and families with children between 5 and 18 years old who have been diagnosed with asthma. To request a home visit or learn more, Salmon Trejo said residents should contact the Orange County Health Department at (407) 858-1400 or visit orange.floridahealth.gov.
The segment opened with a reminder that about 1 in 11 Florida adults and 1 in 14 Florida children currently live with asthma and closed with a recap of the program's services and contact information.
