Breathing Lessons

Photograph by Maggie Steber

For nearly 30 years, the Kunsberg School, in Denver, has been helping children suffering from chronic illnesses like asthma lead a normal life.

The day school, which enrolls 100 students in kindergarten through eighth grade, offers a broad-based academic program as well as arts and sports activities. It also teaches children how to take their medication routinely and how to avoid the things that might trigger an asthma attack.

About 90 percent of the students at the school, which is run by the National Jewish Medical and Research Center, suffer from chronic asthma; the rest have received organ transplants, or suffer from sickle cell anemia, diabetes, or other diseases. Most of the youngsters are poor or members of minority groups.

The need for programs to help such children is growing, says Ellen Hunter, director of education at the Kunsberg School. She says that the number of kids who have asthma is growing nationwide, especially among youngsters who live in urban neighborhoods — who not only breathe polluted air, but who often don’t have regular access to health care.

In Denver, the school has already made a big difference. For example, one student visited the hospital emergency room 50 times before he enrolled at Kunsberg, and was missing so much school that he was falling behind. He also was not able to play during recess or take part in sports because exercise would cause his asthma to flare up.

“This is the first time he has been able to fully participate at school,” Ms. Hunter says. “By the time they leave us, students know how to take care of themselves.”

Here, students supervised by nurses use asthma medication inhalers before heading out to participate in athletic activities.