LLU Asthma Screening and Education Program Exceeds Expectations by Herbert Atienza - City News Group, Inc.
View Upcoming Events View Your Local Sales

Community Calendar

◄ NOVEMBER ►
S M T W T F S
01 02 03 04 05 06 07
08 09 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 01 02 03 04 05
View Events
Submit Events
directory

LLU Asthma Screening and Education Program Exceeds Expectations

By Herbert Atienza,
August 28, 2013 at 04:52pm. Views: 120

A program at Loma Linda University (LLU) School of Public Health is on track to deliver asthma screening, education and follow-up medical referrals to thousands of Riverside County children and their families over the next four years. The program, funded by a $1.6 million grant from the from the Riverside County Children & Families Commission, also known as First 5 Riverside, uses plays and puppet shows to teach young children about asthma and air pollution throughout Riverside County. Teachers also receive training and materials to help identify children at risk for asthma and to help promote asthma-friendly homes and classrooms, and parents are offered classes to learn how to manage their children’s asthma effectively. The school’s screening target is 6,700 children during the four-year project period, which began earlier this year, and they are well on their way with close to 1,500 children screened within only 6 months of operation. The team has already met or exceeded the annual program goals for parent and teacher education. In addition, the program staff and partners have reached over 11,000 people at community events, health fairs, churches, and schools. “Many disease processes originate in the community, and this certainly is true of asthma. LLUH is pleased that our School of Public Health has partnered with First 5 Riverside to tackle this common problem,” said Dr. Richard Hart, president of Loma Linda University Health. The program’s success is due in large part to its innovative educational approach and to the strong partnership between LLU School of Public Health and El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center, an Inland Empire-based community health education agency. El Sol trains community volunteers as promotores de salud (health promoters) on asthma and respiratory health for hard-to-reach, language-isolated, and vulnerable communities. For the school’s asthma program, the promotores screen young children for asthma at preschools and Head Start facilities, provide parents and teachers with vital asthma information, and perform outreach to communities throughout Riverside County. A unique aspect of the program is the theatrical component: a play written by Dr. Rhonda Spencer-Hwang, researcher at LLU School of Public Health, designed to appeal to the preschoolers who comprise First 5’s target demographic. Research has shown that children pay more attention to messages delivered by a puppet or cartoon character than to adults. Dr. Spencer-Hwang’s play, performed in English and Spanish, features a group of wheezing pirates who learn about asthma and air pollution from a friendly doctor. “The pirate play within the First 5 project is a great example of how public health faculty use their creativity and innovation to teach health principles to the children and improve their lives,” said Dr. Tricia Penniecook, dean of the School of Public Health. Other aspects of the asthma education program include after-school sessions for parents of at-risk children and staff at daycare centers and preschools on asthma preventive care techniques. “Asthma is one of the most common reasons that a child visits the ER and misses school days,” says Dr. Marti Baum, a Loma Linda University Health pediatrician. “It is also one of the most avoidable ER visits if caught early.”

Related Articles

Photo Courtesy of: TME Photography by Titan Mom Elvira

By Titan Mom Elvira, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 897

Athlete of the Week Christopher Michael Lemos, Redlands High School Junior and Varsity Quarterback, proudly represents the Terriers with his dedication, leadership, and passion for the game.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 1782

Redlands Pottery Project joins A.K. Smiley Public Library for a November 14 workshop designed for young artists ages 13 to 18. A lump of clay may not look like much at first. In the hands of a young artist, however, it can become a bowl, a decorative sculpture or an entirely unexpected creation.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.redlands.edu/

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 2871

The University of Redlands Department of Theatre and Dance will present Día de los Muertos and Other Folk Tales November 5 through 8, 2026. Stories told by grandparents often become treasured parts of a family's history. Some are humorous, others mysterious, and many carry lessons that remain meaningful long after the storyteller is gone.

Photo Courtesy of: UC San Diego's ALERTCalifornia

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 965

A remote wildfire-monitoring camera overlooks a Southern California landscape. Redlands has partnered with UC San Diego's ALERTCalifornia program to improve monitoring of areas near northern Redlands and the Santa Ana River wash.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.akspl.org/events/

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:26pm. Views: 1980

Annual ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial Shrine will bring American history to life on November 21. On a November morning in Redlands, the sounds of fifes, drums and historic artillery will offer residents an opportunity to experience a chapter of American history that continues to influence the nation more than 160 years after the Civil War.

Photo Courtesy of: City News Group

By Stella Pierce, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:18pm. Views: 854

The first years of a child's life are filled with milestones that families often remember forever. A baby's first smile, the first attempt to crawl and the first spoken words are moments of celebration. They can also bring questions, uncertainty and new responsibilities for parents learning how to care for a growing child.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.csusb.edu/

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 1063

CSUSB’s Department of Physics and Astronomy has earned recognition for it for its work to create a more inclusive, diverse and supportive physics department, earning the Bronze Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science Physics & Astronomy SEA Change program.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.naco.org/program/operation-green-light-veterans

By William Cortez, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 2366

Operation Green Light returns November 4–11, encouraging residents to recognize military service and help veterans connect with available resources. As darkness settles over San Bernardino during the first week of November, green lights will illuminate several county buildings, transforming familiar government facilities into visible reminders of the sacrifices made by America's military veterans.

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.authentikusa.com/

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 1005

As America's most famous highway celebrates its centennial in 2026, San Bernardino reflects on the road that helped shape its neighborhoods, businesses and identity. Long before interstate highways became the preferred routes for cross-country travel, motorists making their way through San Bernardino followed a road that would become one of the most recognizable highways in American history.

Photo Courtesy of: Corina Borsuk and provided courtesy of SBCUSD

By Amanda Spencer, Community Writer

November 3, 2026 at 03:06pm. Views: 782

Muscoy Elementary students join SBCUSD Superintendent Mauricio Arellano, Board of Education President Mayra Ceballos, Assistant Superintendents Dr. Sandra Rodriguez and Dr. Tasha Doizan, Director MaryRone Goodwin and San Bernardino County Supervisor Joe Baca Jr. for the official ribbon cutting ceremony that opened the school’s new outdoor learning center.

Photo Courtesy of: https://riversiderecord.org/; A photo of Moreno Valley City Hall. (Alicia Ramirez/The Riverside Record) Credit: (Photo by Alicia

By Ruby Stephenson, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:39pm. Views: 1065

A city is often judged by what residents experience every day: the condition of its streets, the reliability of public services, the availability of recreational programs and the ease of obtaining information from local government. Behind those everyday experiences are departments and employees whose work rarely attracts national attention.

Photo Courtesy of: TME Photography by Titan Mom Elvira

By Titan Mom Elvira, Community Writer

October 27, 2026 at 02:39pm. Views: 958

Athlete of the Week Zachary Scott Perez, Senior at John W. North High School, is recognized as Athlete of the Week for his dedication and accomplishments as a student athlete.

--> -->