What Happens at a Screening
This is the 17th year of the Nationwide Asthma Screening Program, the ACAAI's public service campaign to find adults and children who are at risk for undiagnosed and uncontrolled asthma. New this year, people also can see if they are at risk for nasal allergies. The program is supported by Teva Respiratory and has screened nearly 133,000 people and referred more than half for a professional diagnosis.
Being screened is a quick and painless process that includes filling out a questionnaire, taking a breathing test and talking with an allergist.
Listen to a podcast or watch the below video to learn more.
When you arrive at a screening, you will complete registration forms that ask for basic information like your name and age and a series of questions about your breathing, coughing, wheezing, itchy eyes and runny nose. Kids ages 8-14 get a form they can fill out themselves. For children younger than 8, parents complete the form on their child's behalf.
After filling out the forms, you will take a breathing test. It doesn't hurt at all, just simply blow very hard into a tube. The tube is connected to a computer that measures your lung function.
You will review the results of your breathing test and your registration form with an allergist who will ask you additional questions about your symptoms. If the results suggest you might have asthma, nasal allergies or exercise-induced bronchoconstriction, the allergist will refer you to a doctor for diagnosis.
The screening program takes about 15 minutes.