School And Asthma: What You Should Know
At present, educators and school leaders are up to date on many common childhood illnesses and they know how to respond to them. School and asthma can go hand in hand as long as the place of education is informed and supportive.
School and Asthma: Are They Compatible?
Many parents, show children with asthma, fear for their children’s health when they are separated, such as while the children are in school.
Asthma attacks are one of the leading reasons why students miss school. However, the disease should not be a reason to be absent if it is well controlled.
Parents and school
The first step to take is to talk to your doctor and make an action plan in case of a seizure. That way, the responsible adult (the teacher, for example) will know what medications the child needs to take, in what dose and how often.
A copy of this plan should be provided to the school administration and the teachers responsible for the child. That way , they will be able to react quickly to avoid any dangerous consequences for the student.
At the beginning of the year, as parents, you should meet with the child’s teachers and other staff to talk to them about the asthmatic child. It is very important for them to know the history of the child and whether the child is able to take his medication on his own.
It is also important that you make sure that the staff at the training site have the correct contact information in case of a seizure, where they should store the medicine and whether a relapse can be avoided.
You should also talk to them about what can trigger asthma, as well as what they can do to avoid and reduce these triggers. This includes the accumulation of dust in the air (poor ventilation), animal hair and strong cleaning products.
Classrooms need to have air conditioning or dehumidifiers. In addition, the environment must of course be smoke-free.
It is crucial that everyone at the school is shared about supporting the child. If this is not possible, you may need to consider moving your child to another school.
Dealing with an asthma attack at school
It may be that all this preparation for an asthma attack is not going to be used in practice at any time during the year. However, there should be a plan for safety.
As a first reservation , your child should have an inhaler or immediate soothing medication that will immediately open their lungs. You can also give one to the teacher that can be stored in a safe place at school or with the school nurse.
When children are old enough and used to performing the treatment, it is important to let them do it.
That way, they will not be dependent on others if they have a seizure somewhere isolated. The teacher can also stand next to you, ready to help if needed. Or at least to be a sedative present to recover faster.
School and asthma: 10 action steps
Unfortunately , there are more school-age children with asthma every day. As a result, there are many educators and school leaders who have to take care of them during a crisis.
Some schools use what is known as the “10 Commandments of a Healthy School for Asthmatic Children”. The rules are as follows:
- Be tobacco-free (even teachers’ lungs and areas not accessible by children).
- Have an employee who takes care of asthmatic children.
- Have a first aid kit that includes inhalers and other medications.
- Allow students to carry their own medication and take it when needed.
- Identify asthmatic children.
- Establish an action plan for an asthmatic crisis.
- Guarantee a certain level of hygiene and air quality.
- Contribute to special activities in physical education for asthmatic children.
- Create classrooms with a minimal amount of allergens and triggers.
- Take reservations to reduce the effects of pollen.
Without a doubt, school and asthma can coexist if everyone commits to action for children’s safety and health.
