Main description:

Dr. Bruce G. Bender demonstrates his approach to counseling children with asthma so as to reduce the behavior that exacerbates this respiratory condition. Dr. Bender uses a family-management approach to treat young clients with asthma. Because a child lives within a family system, it is important to involve parents and other family members in assessment and treatment. In the session on this video,

Dr. Bender works with an 18-year-old girl named Kate who has had asthma since she was 8. As a young child, she also had problems with ear infections and her hearing. Kate is inconsistent with her medication: She takes it when she feels in poor health but stops taking it as soon as her health improves. He meets with the client and her mother and performs a thorough assessment of the client's living situation, family life, medical history, and interactions with doctors. He then helps her determine ways to live with asthma and provides advice on making better use of available services.