C.H.A.M.P.: Community & Home
Asthma Management Program

About the C.H.A.M.P. Program

C.H.A.M.P. is a disease management program designed to improve the quality of life of children with asthma and their families. The purpose of the program is to reduce emergency room visits, physician visits and hospitalizations.

Goals of the Program Include:

• to prevent asthma episodes
• to be able to participate in all activities, including sports and exercise, without having asthma symptoms
• to maintain personal best peak flow meter readings
• to avoid nighttime asthma symptoms
• to prevent side effects of asthma medications

The program is designed to work with the child’s physician to manage asthma.

The Program Includes:

• establishing a partnership for asthma management
• receiving basic information and resources about asthma
• developing an appropriate medication regime
• proper use of exhalers and spacers
• use and care of a nebulizer
• correct peak flow meter monitoring and recording
• establishing a written plan to manage and treat asthma episodes
• identifying and reducing exposure to asthma triggers
• managing exercise-induced symptoms
• integrating asthma management into the school setting

About Asthma

What is asthma?

Asthma is a chronic illness that affects the breathing tubes of the lungs. It can also be diagnosed as reactive airways disease. With asthma, the lining of the airways becomes swollen and inflamed, the muscles around the lungs squeeze and tighten around airways making the opening narrower and mucus production increases.

Symptoms include shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, wheezing and a cough that lasts more than a week. Symptoms vary with different people. Not all people wheeze. Coughing may be the only symptom and may occur during the night or after exercise.

Causes of an Asthma Episode

Factors contributing to the cause of an asthma episode are referred to as “triggers.” Common triggers for asthma include dust and dust mites; pollens from grass, trees and molds; cigarette or wood smoke; strong odors; air pollution; infections; exercise; and changes in weather and temperature.

Preventing Asthma Episodes

Key preventive actions include developing a treatment plan to avoid symptoms and avoiding or decreasing contact with triggers.

For more information on C.H.A.M.P., please call (201) 291-6000.

This agency is proud of its participation in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) national Eighth Scope of Work (8SOW) Home Health Quality Initiative. CMS is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Through this initiative, Valley Home Care’s focus is to provide continually improving quality of care to its clients.