Asthma: Informative Speech, Outline Example

Specific Purpose: To inform the audience about asthma

Central Idea: Today I will be discussing the chronic illness which affects most children – Asthma. I will be focusing on how asthma may have developed in children, and how to handle this illness and start enjoying life.

I. Introduction

1. Attention Getter: Asthma accounts for over 500,000 hospitalizations each year, with 1.3 million emergency room visits and 10 million missed days of school (Lieberman, 1999).
2. Relate to Audience/establish goodwill: Has this illness ever stopped you or a loved one from really enjoying life?
3. Establish Credibility: Being a nursing student, I have learned much about asthma and how it can affect people’s lives. Not only those who have the illness, but for the       parents of the children who suffer from it.
4. Preview statement: Today I will be discussing basic facts about asthma that a parent should know, these are (a) understanding asthma, (b) what happens to the lungs, and (c) how to control the condition.

Transition First, I will be going into detail on how to better understand asthma

II. Body

• Understanding asthma

1. Asthma can occur with anyone at any age, and can come as early as three or four years old. It is common mostly and more severe with males. This illness can be found more commonly among urban and industrialized settings, in environments which are colder in climate (Gershwin & Klingelhofer, 1992).
2. Asthma can take many forms, and can be seen manifesting in different ways. It depends on the severity of the condition. It can be seen in induced wheezing due to exercise, or it can come in forms of life-threatening attacks which can lead to hospitalizations (Gershwin & Klingelhofer, 1992).

Transition So, what happens to the lungs which cause this asthma to strike?

• What happens to the lungs?

1. Asthma results in the narrowing of the bronchioles, which are found in the lungs. These bronchioles are like tiny tubes in which air passes through. With asthma, these tubes become constricted and it makes breathing more difficult, resulting in shortness of breath or asthma attacks (Lieberman, 1999).
2. The bronchiole tubes have muscles around them which contract, and this causes tightening. When an individual has asthma, changes in temperature of humidity,  and also exposures to irritating fumes and odors can cause the bronchiole tubes to suddenly contract and the individual may start coughing and wheezing for no reason other than asthma (Lieberman, 1999).

Transition Now that we know what happens to the lungs when one has asthma, how do we better control this condition?

• How to control asthma

1. When your child or loved one has asthma, you have to make sure that their condition is well under control. You can do this by regularly visiting your physician and looking for changes in the asthma conditions. This way, you can administer the right medicine or care for your child or loved one to avoid hospitalization and trips to the emergency room (Lara et al., 2001).
2. When an individual has asthma, the best thing you can do is manage the condition. The way you can do this is constantly look for more information about asthma, since medicine and technology is rapidly changing, you need to be well aware of your options. Also, develop an awareness when you think your child or loved one needs medical attention, do not wait for the moment he or she starts coughing and wheezing uncontrollably (Gershwin & Klingelhofer, 1992).

III. Conclusion

1. I have discussed how a parent can better understand asthma, what happens to the lungs during an asthma attack and also how to better care for a loved one suffering from asthma.
2. This information hopefully comes useful to those who are caring for someone who suffers from asthma, and by using this information you will be able to avoid hospitalizations and trips to the emergency room.

References

Asthma. Retrieved October 10, 2010, from http://emblemhealth.com

Gershwin, M.E., &, Klingelhofer, E.L. (1992). Asthma: Stop Suffering, Start Living. Reading, MA: Perseus Books. pp. 108

Lara, M., Nicholas, W., Morton, S., Vaiana, M.E., Genovese, B., Rachelefsky, G., Redd, S., & Weiss, K. (2001). Improving Childhood Asthma Outcomes in the United States: A Blueprint for Policy Action. Santa Monica, CA: Rand.

Lieberman, P. (1999). Understanding Asthma. Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi. pp. 13.

Why asthma makes it hard to breathe. Retrieved October 20, 2010, from http://pokharacity.com/virtual-doctor.php?subaction=showfull&id=1245101831&archive=1249964563&start_from=&ucat=74&