August 23, 2006
ASTHMA TOPS SCHOOL HEALTH ISSUES BUT NOT PARENTS’ BACK-TO-SCHOOL PRIORITIES
As millions of students with asthma pour back into the classrooms over the next month, the startling results of an ALA poll of parents of children with asthma reveal they are not taking basic steps to manage their child’s asthma while at school. Less than one-third of those parents surveyed make sure their children are under medical supervision or talk to school administrators about their child’s asthma, despite evidence that asthma emergency room and hospitalization rates spike in September—a seasonal “back-to-school asthma” phenomenon.
According to the poll, 73% of parents of children with asthma report they are concerned about how their child’s asthma will affect their ability to participate in school, yet the majority of those parents are not taking steps recommended by the ALA to better manage their child’s asthma. Less than half the parents polled talk to the teacher about their child’s asthma (48%) or make sure the child’s medicine is available at school (42%). Less than one-third make sure their child is under medical supervision (31%) or talk to the school administration about the child’s health condition (27%).
Back-to-school asthma is a reality, so being prepared should be on parents’ back-to-school lists. Not taking basic steps like having a fast-acting medication available at school in case of an asthma attack or communicating with the school about your child’s asthma could be setting the stage for an unmanageable medical crisis at school. “Parents need to make sure their child’s asthma is under control so that it doesn’t worsen once they get back to school. Look for signs like coughing at night or not being able to keep up with other kids’ physical activity, which may mean their asthma is not under control,” said Miriam McLaughlin, ALANC Asthma Programs Manager.
Asthma tends to be seasonal, and the back-to-school months herald the cold and virus season, when children return to close classroom quarters after having spent the summer apart from one another. Viruses are a leading asthma trigger, as well as allergens including those that peak in the fall, indoor pollutants, and outdoor air pollution, which can lead to ozone alert days in September and October.
What can parents
do to be prepared?
Every child with asthma should have a written Asthma Action Plan, developed with
the child’s physician, that details that child’s specific asthma triggers,
medications, instructions regarding physical activity, like using an inhaler
before strenuous exercise for some children, and an emergency plan.
Communication is critical to a child’s asthma management at school. Take the
Asthma Action Plan to school and discuss it with the nurse, classroom teacher
and others such as physical education teachers who will be responsible for your
child during the school day.
Other elements to preparing your child with asthma for school include being up-to-date on regular doctor’s visits, having prescriptions updated and filled for the first day of school, and scheduling a flu shot now for your child to be immunized in October. Preventing influenza may reduce asthma episodes and trips to the emergency room; flu shots for people with asthma have been proven safe by ALA clinical research.
Back-to-school shopping lists and chores should include being prepared for a seasonal spike in asthma attacks.
Several actions
will help parents stay on top of their child’s asthma management and their
communication with teachers, nurses and others at school.
· See your child’s doctor
· Know your child’s triggers
· Understand your child’s asthma control
· Have a written Asthma Action Plan
· Schedule flu shots
For more information on asthma or how to develop an Asthma Action Plan, contact Miriam McLaughlin, Asthma Programs manager. 919.832.8326 x 14.