- About
About
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), a not-for-profit organization founded in 1953, is the leading patient organization for people with asthma and allergies, and the oldest asthma and allergy patient group in the world.
- Asthma
Asthma
Nearly 28 million people in the United States have asthma. The best way to manage asthma is to avoid triggers, take medications to prevent symptoms, and prepare to treat asthma episodes if they occur.
- Allergies
Allergies
Allergies are one of the most common chronic diseases. An allergy occurs when the body’s immune system sees a substance as harmful and overreacts to it. The substances that cause allergic reactions are allergens.
- Programs
Programs
AAFA offers a variety of educational programs, resources and tools for patients, caregivers, and health professionals. AAFA launches educational awareness campaigns throughout the year. We teach the general public about asthma and allergic diseases.
- Research and Reports
Research and Reports
Research is an important part of our pursuit of better health. Through research, we gain better understanding of illnesses and diseases, new medicines, ways to improve quality of life and cures. AAFA conducts and promotes research for asthma and allergic diseases.
- Advocacy
Advocacy
AAFA works to support public policies that will benefit people with asthma and allergies. Advocacy and public policy work are important for protecting the health and safety of those with asthma and allergies. We advocate for federal and state legislation as well as regulatory actions that will help you.
- Get Involved
Get Involved
There are several ways you can support AAFA in its mission to provide education and support to patients and families living with asthma and allergies. You can make a donation, fundraise for AAFA, take action in May for Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month, and join a community to get the help and support you need.
- News
News
AAFA can connect you to all of the information and resources you need to help you learn more about asthma and allergic diseases.
- Donate
- Get Support
- Join the Community
- Login
- Blog
- Media
Education Programs
Asthma and Allergy Education Programs
The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) offers several programs on asthma and allergies for patients, caregivers, and health care professionals.
Asthma and Allergy Education for Patients and Caregivers
ASTHMA Care for Adults covers information on asthma diagnosis, symptoms, and treatments. It teaches adults how to effectively manage and control their asthma. It is available in two formats:
- A facilitated course for asthma health educators (Ordering details)
- An online self-paced course for people with asthma (Registration details)
This self-paced online course will help you understand the basics of managing your child’s newly diagnosed food allergy while keeping them safe. It covers how food allergies are diagnosed, different types of food allergies, what anaphylaxis is, how to react and how to avoid it, how to find safe foods, and how to handle food allergies outside the home. This course is presented by David Stukus, M.D., pediatric asthma and allergy specialist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. (Registration details)
Patient and Caregiver Webinars
AAFA offers many webinars available for asthma, allergies, and other allergic conditions. You can watch the videos on the below webpages to learn more about these conditions.
- Asthma
- Atopic dermatitis and eczema
- Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE)
- Food allergies
- Nasal polyps
- Urticaria (hives)
Severe ASTHMA Care
This self-paced online course helps adults and their caregivers learn how to manage severe asthma. It explains severe and uncontrolled asthma, the impact of severe asthma, asthma management plans, and severe asthma treatments. The information is presented in a variety of formats, including videos, handouts, animations, and more. (Registration details)
AAFA offers many education resources in Spanish for people with asthma, their caregivers, and health care professionals.View our available Spanish resources.
Wee Breathers
This program is for health professionals who teach parents of young children about managing asthma. Use it during home visits, one-on-one, or in group classes for parents in child care centers. The full program includes:
- Instructor’s Guide
- Asthma-Friendly Home: Checklist for Families
- Asthma-Friendly Home: Checklist for Providers
- Seven lessons on asthma management that include lesson handouts (handouts are at a sixth-grade reading level or lower):
- Lesson 1: Asthma Basics
- Lesson 2: Asthma Triggers
- Lesson 3: Controlling Asthma Triggers
- Lesson 4: Asthma Medicines
- Lesson 5: Asthma Action Plan
- Lesson 6: Communicating with the Asthma Team
- Lesson 7: Asthma Management Goals
The full program is available in English only. (Ordering details) The lesson handouts are available in Spanish. (Ordering details)
The Asthma-Friendly Home – A Checklist for Families is available in English (Ordering details) and Spanish. (Ordering details) The Asthma-Friendly Home – A Checklist for Providers is available in English (Ordering details) and Spanish. (Ordering details)
This program is for health professionals who teach school-age children and their families about managing asthma. An implementation guide tells how to use the booklets in clinical, community, school, and home settings. The program also has booklets for children and their parents. It teaches asthma management through pictures and activities. The book for kids is at a third-grade reading level. It helps them make choices and feel in control of their asthma. The book for families is at a fifth-grade reading level. It helps parents help their children manage their asthma. (Ordering details)
Programs for Health Care Professionals
Asthma Management Education Online (AME-O) Course
The AME-O course is based on the NAEPP’s “Four Components of Asthma Management” as presented in the National Institute of Health (NIH), National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP)’s Expert Panel Report 3 (EPR-3): Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma Summary Report and the 2020 Focused Updates to the guidelines.
The course has 10 lessons and four exams that you complete at your own pace. Respiratory therapists can earn 9.75 contact hours from the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC). Nurses can earn 9.75 contact hours from the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC). (Registration details)
Continuing Medical Education (CME) Programs
(AAFA), in collaboration with Medlive, offers a variety of free continuing medical education (CME) programs for health care providers. The programs aim to help health care providers learn more about asthma, allergies, atopic diseases, and treatment options. These programs also provide resources for patient and caregiver support.Some programs offer continuing medical education credits (AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™).View our programs on asthma, allergies, and other allergic conditions.
