Bronx teen who had near-death asthma experience has new lease on life, thanks to medical treatment

A Bronx teen who had a near death experience from asthma shared with News 12 how treatment at Montefiore saved his life.

Andrell Austin is now able to be a regular and active teen.

“It was terrible before, I couldn’t even run outside without having an asthma attack. Now I can play basketball. That is all I really wanted to do,” Austin says.

Since he was just 6 months old, the now 13-year-old has suffered from severe allergies and asthma.

Austin’s parents say his asthma went from bad to worse over the years. One attack a couple of years ago was a near-death experience.

This was a turning point for Austin’s treatment. His team of doctors in the Pediatric Asthma Center at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore were able make him better through personalized medication.

“He came to us after this and we were able to identify one of the newer biologic treatments for him and now he has improved in quality of life and has reduction asthma symptoms,” Dr. Laura Conrad says.

Austin is just one of many cases that are in New York City.

“New York area, about 10% of children have asthma, and in the Bronx, the rates of asthma can be up to 25% in some neighborhoods,” Conrad says.

Conrad says the causes of asthma can develop from genetics, air pollution and socio-economic factors like substandard housing, pests, roaches, mice and mold.

Austin’s parents believe their living atmosphere in the Bronx and genetics contributed greatly to their son’s lung disease.

The multi-disciplinary care that Austin receives at the asthma center has given him a new lease on life and the doctors say they are focused on long-term solutions.

They say the long-term treatment that’s going help kids’ asthma and allergies is allergy shots and that it’s a five-year commitment.

As this Austin lives his best life, doctors also urge parents to seek child care treatment if they suspect they have asthma too.