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All children need exercise.  Children with asthma or disabilities may need to take a few more precautions than others when it comes to being physically active, but with these precautions they can lead fit and active lives.  While some sports or activities may be better suited than others for children with special needs, every child can find a way to be active.  The benefits of physical activity, including increased self-esteem and self-confidence, increased strength, and an outlet for emotion, far outweigh any difficulty in becoming involved. 

Learn more about asthma

Asthma is a lung disease whose symptoms range from mild to severe.  There are many ways to deal with asthma, but it is a disease that needs to be taken seriously.  Talk to your pediatrician about the best way to deal with your child’s asthma.

Want to know more about asthma, what causes it, possible treatments, what you can do to help your child with asthma, and more?  Try out these links.

PBS Kids
PBS Kids has a great web page for both kids and grown-ups that is “All About Asthma.”
http://pbskids.org/arthur/grownups/teacherguides/health/index.html

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA)
The AAFA has many fact sheets on asthma including this one on asthma in infants and young children.  This is a great introduction to what asthma is and how to handle your child’s asthma.
http://www.aafa.org/templ/display.cfm?id=193&sub=210

National Asthma Campaign
The National Asthma Campaign, an organization based in the United Kingdom, has an informative web page complete with a newsletter for kids called “A is for Asthma,” an asthma movie, and a six-step guide to asthma.
http://www.asthma.org.uk/ 

What should you do if your infant has asthma?

Chicago’s Loyola University has a worksheet that explains what to do if your child has an asthma attack.
http://www.meddean.luc.edu/lumen/MedEd/MEDICINE/Allergy/Asthma/asthws4.html

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
The AAP answers questions about your child’s asthma such as what triggers asthma and how to help attacks from coming on.
http://familydoctor.org/handouts/219.html           

American Lung Association (ALA)
How can you control your asthma instead of it controlling you?  The American Lung Association answers this and many other questions about asthma.  Their web site includes links to sites for kids, teenagers, and parents, as well as information on medications, fact sheets, and camps designed specifically for kids with asthma.
http://www.lungusa.org/asthma/asthma_children_index.html

Asthma and exercise
Asthma does not need to keep your child from participating in sports and other activities! Visit these web sites to learn more about how you can help your child with asthma enjoy an active life. 

healthfinder® 
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has a database of reliable health information.  This web site gives you links to many reputable organizations that specialize in asthma.
healthfinder®—exercise and asthma 

American Council on Exercise
The American Council on Exercise has some great tips that allow people with asthma to exercise without worrying about triggering an attack.
http://www.acefitness.org/fitfacts/fitfacts_display.cfm?itemid=21

Chicago’s Loyola University has a checklist for kids with asthma who want to stay physically active.  It includes an area for setting goals and a list of ways to keep healthy while exercising.
http://www.meddean.luc.edu/lumen/MedEd/medicine/Allergy/Asthma/asthws23.html

Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
The AAFA has an asthma and allergy card for children entering child care that you can download for free.  This is a card that you can give your child care provider that includes your child’s emergency information and specific instructions about what to do if your child has an asthma attack.
http://www.aafa.org/templ/details.cfm?id=150&product_id=109

Asthma Busters
Asthma Busters is an on-line club for kids ages 7 to 14 years with asthma created by the American Lung Association.  Once kids become club members there are games and prizes that help them learn more about and take more responsibility in managing their asthma.  School nurses are also encouraged to join to help their students become more informed about and responsible for their asthma.
http://www.asthmabusters.org/

Children with disabilities
No matter what the disability, it’s important that physical activity become a regular part of your child’s life.  Physical activity helps keep the mind sharp and muscles active, it helps boost self-confidence and self-worth, and it allows children to express themselves.  As a caregiver for someone with a disability, it may not always be an easy task to promote physical activities.  Remember that you are not alone.  This list of resources can help provide information and motivation from people with disabilities who lead active and inspiring lives. 

National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD)
The NCPAD has articles, fact sheets, interactive resources, email lists, and sponsored events that support the idea that “exercise is for every body.”
http://www.ncpad.org/

Disabled Sports USA
Disabled Sports USA is a national nonprofit organization that offers sports rehabilitation programs to anyone with a permanent physical disability.  Disabled Sports USA is a nationwide network of regional chapters offering a variety of recreation programs such as snow skiing, cycling, climbing, golf, and social activities.
http://dsusa.org/

Disabled Sports USA also has an extensive list of links to other organizations that support physical activity for the disabled. 
http://dsusa.org/links.html

Children With Disabilities
The Children With Disabilities online guide a list of recreational activities for kids with disabilities, including camps, products and toys, theater events, and national parks to visit.
http://www.childrenwithdisabilities.ncjrs.org/natrecreation.html

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
The AAP has an article on developmental disabilities and how to evaluate them.
http://www.kidshealthworks.com/topic.asp?topic_id=93     

Enablelink
Enablelink is a resource-filled web site created by the Toronto-based Canadian Abilities Foundation.  This link will take you to their site on sports and recreation, but other links include information on education, employment, youth programs, and traveling.
http://www.enablelink.org/sports.html?showsports=1

Paralympic Games
The Paralympic Games are elite sport events for athletes from six different disability groups that emphasize the participants' athletic achievements rather than their disability.  These athletes serve as an inspiration for all and can perhaps keep you or your child motivated when the going gets tough.
http://www.paralympic.org/ 

Special Olympics
Special Olympics is an international organization dedicated to empowering individuals with mental retardation to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition.  According to their web site, children and adults with mental retardation who participate in Special Olympics develop improved physical fitness and motor skills, greater self-confidence and a more positive self-image.
http://www.specialolympics.org/

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities has a web site for kids with questions about disabilities, such as “can someone in a wheelchair be an athlete?”  It encourages them to find out more about the issues and to think more about the environment around them and how people with disabilities adapt.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/kids/