Aboard the Breathmobile
- Each Breathmobile features two fully equipped exam rooms including a Vmax® pulmonary function testing system, which uses spirometry and oscillometry tests to measure a child’s ability to breathe.
- The Breathmobile travels with asthma-trained bi-lingual providers and staff, who complete an asthma and allergy evaluation for each child. The evaluation includes a comprehensive history of the child, a physical exam, a breathing test and a skin test.
- Children may receive medical treatment for asthma and allergies, including medication, spacers and home peak flow monitoring.
- Our team helps children and their families create an Asthma Action Plan, and we offer education on how to manage their asthma, avoid triggers and prevent asthma emergencies.
- We provide follow-up appointments with children until their asthma is under control, a process that typically takes about three visits. Each child sees the same team of caregivers every time, so they can feel comfortable in a familiar environment.
- We also refer children and families to additional county and community resources as needed, and we provide assistance for them to obtain health insurance if they wish.
- In some cases, we may provide a home visit to assess a child’s home for asthma triggers and educate families on ways they can modify their home to prevent symptoms.
More Than 6,500 Children Served
The Breathmobile began in 2002 through a partnership with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, Southern California Chapter, as a new and innovative program to address pediatric health concerns, specifically regarding asthma and allergy. It was the vision of CHOC asthma and allergy specialist Dr. Stanley Galant. The goal of the program is to provide access to preventive asthma care for under-served children and improve their quality of life. Since the program began, the Breathmobile has provided asthma care to more than 6,500 children. In 2014 alone, more than 1,400 patients were provided care during approximately 4,000 visits.
The Breathmobile currently depends heavily on philanthropic support and in-kind support from donors. The Breathmobile continues to seek additional funding in order to continue providing care to our current patients while enhancing our services to meet the needs of additional patients. Donate today.