Trillium In The News

The Mississauga News

Asthmatic kids are filling up city's hospitals

LOUIE ROSELLA
Oct 25, 2002

Hundreds of Mississauga children hospitalized the past year because of asthma, need to be better educated about the disease's chronic affects, say health and medical officials.

Improved education and treatment are being urged, especially since asthma is the leading cause of hospitalization for children under-10 in Peel.
At Trillium Health Centre (THC) alone, 819 children were seen in emergency departments this past year with 220 children being admitted to the pediatric department.

"One of the basic services that a municipality must have up to scratch is hospital and medical care," said Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion yesterday. "It's the prime; it is it, and yet, we are lagging in the City of Mississauga with the growth that we've experienced."

McCallion was one of several community leaders on hand yesterday for a $2 million investment announcement.

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), an international pharmaceutical company with its Canadian headquarters in Mississauga, is investing $1 million each into THC and Credit Valley Hospital (CVH) to improve asthma education and care in the city.
Dr. Pamela Coates, chief of pediatrics at CVH, called the contribution "vital."

"We know that improved patient education reduces admissions to our hospital and emergency room, and that it truly helps our young patients to better manage their asthma.

"GSK's contribution," added Coates, "will have a major impact on the quality of life for asthma sufferers."

Gerry Beasley, chair of the THC Foundation, said the contribution is a necessity since the hospital often scrounges for asthma funding.

"We are all in this fight together -- the fight to expand health care services and asthma education. One-million dollars is an incredible sum."

Both hospitals already have asthma education programs in place for children.
CVH works with 248 asthmatic children and their families in a school-based program that educates them on the "triggers" of asthma and asthma attacks, as well as when to take different kinds of medicine and puffer usage.

"There are so many asthma hospitalizations that can be prevented with more education," said Cori Chapman, CVH's administrative director of its pediatric program. "This money will ensure the program reaches even more kids."
McCallion urged the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MHLTC) to increase hospital funding.

"I hope there will be more money coming Tony," she said referring to MHLTC Minister Tony Clement. "The need is great and it's a shame they will have to cut services (without more money from the province)."
 

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