Free school-based asthma services expand to High Desert

A mobile asthma and allergy program run by Arrowhead Regional Medical Center will be expanding to High Desert preschools starting in October, thanks to a $372,000 grant awarded by the First 5 San Bernardino children services commission.

ARMC’s Breathmobile program brings free clinic visits, diagnostic testing, physical exams, asthma education and more to 32 school sites throughout San Bernardino County. The program’s goals are to improve children’s health and reduce the likelihood of emergency visits and missed school days.

The prevalence of asthma cases in San Bernardino County outweighs all other counties in California, according to an ARMC press release.

The new, three-year grant will expand the school-based mobile health services to schools in Adelanto, Apple Valley, Victorville, Hesperia, Phelan and Barstow. The Breathmobile unit will focus on asthma and treatment for children from newborns to 5-year-olds for the first two years, and expand to include expectant mothers in the third year.

Since the Breathmobile unit launched in 2007, the program has served more than 3,000 patients, ARMC officials said. Limited services started in the High Desert in January, when the Breathmobile unit was granted to ARMC by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

For more information on ARMC visit www.arrowheadmedcenter.org. For more information on First 5 visit http://www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/sbkids.

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