Go onto Teach Hub - Write down all your assignment names and grades on each for BIOLOGY. Have your parent(s)/ Guardians sign-it and return it tomorrow. 

Directions:

Step 1) Actively read the article below. 

Step 2) Fill out the, "Get the Gist" page as you read the article. 

Patient Stories: Problems with Body Systems

With every breath and every bite of food, the human body takes in millions of molecules. These molecules are so small that they cannot be seen under a common microscope, but the body cannot live without them. Even though they are tiny, these molecules are very important to the health of the entire body.

When everything works properly, the body gets certain molecules from food and from the air. These molecules enter the cells and provide what cells need to stay healthy. Healthy cells form healthy organs, and healthy organs work together in systems to help the body breathe, move, think, and release energy. Because of this, small changes in the amount of molecules reaching cells can make a person feel better or worse.

Sometimes people feel sick because their cells are not getting the molecules they need. When this happens, doctors may say the person has a medical condition. Medical conditions are often diagnosed when symptoms are not caused by bacteria or a virus. Many people manage medical conditions by using medicine that helps their body systems work more effectively.

Read the following story about a person whose body systems were not providing her cells with everything they need.

Asthma is a condition that makes it difficult to breathe.

Asthma: Struggling to Breathe

My Story

I found out I have asthma after noticing that I sometimes had trouble breathing, especially during PE class. When I ran home from the bus stop, it was hard to catch my breath afterward. My chest felt tight, and breathing felt uncomfortable.

When I tried to breathe, I sometimes made a whistling sound. My mom explained that this sound is called wheezing.

I went to the doctor, who listened to my lungs, performed tests, and asked questions about when my breathing problems happened. She told me I have asthma. She explained that when things like exercise or dust irritate my lungs, the tubes inside my lungs swell. When these tubes swell, they become narrow, and less air can move through them, making it harder to breathe.

How Asthma Affects My Body

The doctor explained that asthma affects more than just breathing. When you breathe in, oxygen molecules enter your respiratory system and travel through smaller and smaller tubes into your lungs. Inside the lungs are tiny air sacs called alveoli. Oxygen moves from the alveoli into the blood.

The circulatory system then carries oxygen throughout the body, delivering it to every cell. Cells need oxygen to release energy and carry out their normal functions.

Because of asthma, the tubes in my lungs sometimes squeeze shut. This means less oxygen enters my respiratory system. With less oxygen reaching the lungs, less oxygen moves into the blood, and fewer oxygen molecules are delivered to my cells.

When cells do not receive enough oxygen, they cannot work properly. This can cause a person to feel tired, weak, or short of breath.

Measuring Oxygen Levels in the Body

The doctor also showed me a device called a pulse oximeter. A pulse oximeter is a small device that clips onto a finger and measures how much oxygen is in the blood. It shows a number called an oxygen saturation level.

In a healthy person, oxygen levels are usually between 95% and 100%. This means most of the oxygen-carrying molecules in the blood are filled with oxygen. When oxygen levels drop below this range, cells may not receive the oxygen they need.

During an asthma attack, oxygen levels can be lower because narrowed lung tubes prevent enough oxygen from entering the blood. This helps doctors understand how asthma affects the respiratory and circulatory systems working together.

How I Stay Healthy

The doctor gave me an inhaler to use during asthma attacks. The inhaler helps prevent the tubes in my lungs from swelling, keeping them open so more oxygen can enter my body.

The doctor also told me to avoid asthma triggers, such as dust. For example, when the playing fields at school are dusty, I try not to play sports outside. I still participate in PE class, but I let my teacher know when I need to take a break or use my inhaler.

Now I understand what causes my asthma symptoms and how to manage them so my body systems can work together more effectively.