Look Who it Was Random video

First Asthma- Friendly Daycare

902 views · Published 19 May 2013 · 1:39 · Indexed 16 October 2026

Channel: Lee Health · 2013 · Science & Technology

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It's not what you see at this Cape Coral daycare, it's what you don't see. Their best work may be behind the scenes. The Kiddie Carousel Kingdom is a safe zone for kids with asthma.

"We always see somebody here with asthma. Sometimes one; we've had as many as five children with asthma," says Marianita Kennedy, daycare owner. 

It's a growing problem in Southwest Florida and around the nation.

"In the last several years there's been a 75% increase in asthma," says Teresa Summe. 

As the asthma health management coordinator for Lee Memorial Health System, Summe mentored the daycare.

"Marianita made it mandatory that everyone that comes into her center, that works here, has to have all the asthma training," says Summe. 

The Florida Department of Health created protocols for schools and daycares to treat a child both in an emergency and on a daily basis. That includes making a clean sweep, to create a safe place for parents to leave their kids.

"One of their requirements is a 4 or 5 page sheet on trigger reduction. So they have to go through every room down to plumbing to make sure everything is set-up to be asthma friendly," says Summe. 

"It's mostly cleaning, air conditioning, keeping it dust free, making sure your cleaning process doesn't have a lot of odors, because the smell triggers a lot of people's asthma," says Kennedy. 

The Kiddie Kingdom Carousel is the first in Florida to get the highest level, the platinum achievement for their efforts in asthma. But the real winners...are the children. 

View More Health Matters video segments at leememorial.org/healthmatters/
 
Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we've been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.
 
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