Read the December 2009 issue of The MA Report – online now! What’s inside: “A Spoonful of Sugar: Giving Medicine to Kids”… Do you know the difference between sulfites (a preservative that some people are allergic to) and sulfates (found in some bronchodilator metered-dose inhalers)? Not a chemist? Read the rest of this entry »

Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA) asked children to tell us—in pictures and in their own words—how they felt during an asthma attack, and how they felt when they could breathe again. What they told us was enlightening—and heart-rending.

We collected their drawings and stories to share in this video Read the rest of this entry »

Every breath we take contains millions of particles of dust, allergens, chemicals, pollutants and other tiny molecules. And while pollen and outdoor air pollution get most of the attention, Environmental Protection Agency – or EPA – studies show that pollutant levels inside homes and buildings are two to five times higher than outside! Read the rest of this entry »

AAT BONUS ONLINE: Clean Energy Series, Part 2: On the Wind and a Prairie
by Christie Chapman

Driving through Somerset County, Pennsylvania, you see them. Up there, high on the rolling hills, the wind turbines look like giant mechanical flowers, their petals Read the rest of this entry »

John and Fred Walsh discover a family gene behind their breathing problems.

AAT Bonus Online: Interview with John Walsh, co-founder of the COPD Foundation

John Walsh, co-founder of COPD Foundation, vividly recalls the day his twin brother called and said, “I’ve got some good news and some bad news. The good news is, I’ve found out why we’ve been struggling to breathe these past few years. It’s Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a genetic disorder that causes COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease] in people our age. Now that we can put a name to it, we’ll know how to treat it. Read the rest of this entry »

Nuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh . . . . That sound is so annoying. You know, the D-flat note that nebulizers make while they mist medicine for about 20 minutes or so?

Old school nebulizers, as I call them, are bulky, extremely heavy and only work when plugged into an outlet. And airport security is always a thrill – they seem to think the nebulizer I am carrying could be a weapon of mass destruction.

Read the rest of this entry »

AANMA President and Founder Nancy Sander spoke with USA Today’s Kim Painter about tips for college students with asthma Read the rest of this entry »

King Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of INTAL® Inhaler (cromolyn sodium inhalation aerosol) has announced that it will discontinue production of the inhaler. Currently, orders for INTAL inhalers will be accepted until the manufacturer’s supply is sold out, so the exact date of unavailability isn’t known. Read the rest of this entry »

Source: San Diego Union Tribune
Officials at an asthma camp in Julian, Ca., have reported 89 total cases of H1N1 flu during the camp’s June session. Read the rest of this entry »

By Laurie Ross
Ivory-tower research studies say that metered-dose inhalers (when used correctly either with or without a valved holding chamber) are just as effective as nebulizers at getting medication deep into your airways. However, many of you have told us otherwise: Inhalers are great when you’re out and about, but if you’re under the weather and feeling short of breath, there’s nothing more therapeutic than inhaling the cool, medicated mist of your trusty nebulizer. Read the rest of this entry »