Parents' subjective evaluation of a self-help education-exercise program for asthmatic children and their parents.

A self-help education-exercise program for asthmatic children and their parents was evaluated in Denver, Colorado. The objective of the program was to instill better self-care practices in the child which are expected to reduce utilization and cost of medical services and reduce the amount of interference in the child's normal activities. The program was designed to educate the family about the nature of asthma and its treatment, the importance of self-responsibility for the child, and the psychosocial aspects which may affect both the child and the parents in a family with an asthmatic child. The program also included specific lessons pertaining to self-care practices including general health exercises on land and in water, relaxation training, and diaphragmatic breathing. The results of subjective evaluations of the parents indicated that the program was successful in achieving its goals to: Reduce the number of severe attacks, reduce medication usage, improve compliance, reduce days of school missed, increase exercise activity, and control wheezing by the steps taught in the course. While the results are suggestive, a further, controlled evaluation of the program is recommended.