Asthma is not a game, but registered and paediatric nurse Mrs. Liz Boden tries to make learning about it fun for young children.

Through two-hour workshops the lively and dedicated professional -- herself an asthmatic -- uses a variety of learning tools to teach children of all ages about asthma, its management and the prevention of attacks.

"The idea of the workshops is to have asthmatic children come together and realise they are not the only ones with this medical problem, and also to teach them, in a fun way, how to make good decisions about the prevention of asthma attacks, and how to cope when they experience one,'' she said.

The nurse, who also has a diploma and long experience in asthma care, explained that it was important also for children to fully understand the nature of the disease.

"I discuss what asthma is, and the trigger factors which can bring on an attack. The idea is not only to make them aware of the triggers but how to cope when they are not with their families -- in school, at parties, camp, Sunday School and so on.'' Based around two hand puppets, Huff and Puff -- a recognised asthma programme in the US -- Mrs. Boden's workshops also include the use of visual aids, activities and sing-alongs as part of the learning experience.

Take-home "loot bags'' are filled with fun material which is also designed to reinforce the workshop presentation.

"The children love the whole experience, but especially the puppets,'' Mrs.

Boden said.

Indeed, the genial nurse ensures that each workshop is a positive and happy event from the word go. The already child-friendly atmosphere of the room, which is part of her business practice, is further brightened with Huff and Puff motif balloons, and she also wears a Huff and Puff T-shirt.

Beyond the decorative, the balloons also reinforce part of the asthma education programme. Children blow up similar balloons as part of their understanding of how lungs work, and as a breathing exercise.

Workshops begin with the youngsters getting to know one another through a friendly exchange of information, before they proceed to work through the colouring books with educational messages.

"As they colour, I talk to them about being healthy and strong, and I tell them about athletes with asthma who became Olympic champions,'' Mrs. Boden related. "I don't want them making excuses in order not to do things which other children do.'' Songs also convey the all-important educational messages, and are sung in conjunction with visual aids.

Breathing exercises are taught through games like blowing bubbles and hand-held windmills, and there is also education on air pollutants, including aerosol sprays, and how to avoid being around these triggers.

Such pollutants include insect sprays, room fresheners, spray starch, traffic fumes, and cigarette smoke.

The children learn how to remind adults not to smoke in their presence, and of course that they must not smoke when they grow up. The lesson is reinforced by proffering what at first appear to be real cigarettes but which in fact are candy replicas.

"They really enjoy that, and taking the cigarettes home to trick the parents,'' Mrs. Boden laughed.

In fact, she has found, without exception, that children have been extremely receptive to the entire workshop experience, with positive results for them.

"I am very proud of all my children, they're fantastic,'' she said. "They learn so well. There's nothing they don't know about asthma and the triggers now!'' Indeed, she cites the case of one child who was admitted to hospital with 40 asthma attacks in one year but who has, through education, not had an attack in 20 months.

"In fact, the children who have come to me have have all responded well and are living normal, healthy, unrestricted lives because of good education and preventative asthma treatment,'' she said proudly.

But lest anyone get the wrong idea, Mrs. Boden emphasises that her workshops are not an alternative to the physician's role, nor do they replace it.

"They are not orientated towards medication and treatments -- that is done between parents and doctors,'' she said. "The workshops are purely a fun way of teaching children.'' Incredibly, Mrs. Boden's workshops are free, as are all the materials and give-away "loot bags.'' "I do it because I think it is a wonderful way of teaching children, and getting them involved with their asthma since they are the ones who have to learn how to keep away from the triggers,'' she said.

The nurse admits, however, that she hopes "a business or charity would like to support my work because I feel it is such a good thing, and I love working with children.'' For further information on this and children's asthma workshops contact Mrs.

Boden at 232-0264.

DON'T WORRY, MOTHERS ... your children aren't smoking! The candy cigarettes are used to reinforce the no smoking message in asthma workshops but (left to right) Andrew Osborne, Rhys Pearce, Keirston Samuels, Thomas Gutteridge and C.J. Qwest Richardson thought it would be fun to ham it up for the photographer.