Confusion is another problem, Davis says. Some patients can identify their inhaler only by its color, and are clueless about what medicine it sprays. That means they don't know the side effects or what medication to ask for when it runs out. Doctors try to educate entire families, not just the asthmatics. We schedule them appointments, and they don't go.
Ignorance is dangerous.
Staffers at Phoenix Memorial Hospital often see families with more than one asthmatic child sharing medications, a risky practice because each prescription is individually tailored. Some share drugs because their health plans don't cover the latest medicines. Others share because their kids are uninsured, hospital spokeswoman Laura Toussaint-Newkirk says. Some families don't realize they could qualify for state assistance. Dr. Rashda Kaif, on staff at Jesse Owens, sees firsthand the benefits of health care access and education.