School Asthma in Children
Since the school is the other child's house, is one of the most important environments to protect children. The school boards should be aware to understand asthma and its impact on the child with asthma. It shall take appropriate steps to meet the needs of these children. Since there are nearly five million children with asthma under 18 years of age in the United States, is a real problem.So the normally unfold asthmatic child at school, everyone involved (child, family, physician, and school staff) must work together to prevent and / or manage asthma at school. It is important for the child to have a positive and healthy learning environment.
What Should Parents Do?
1. Parents should alert the school staff about the child's asthma. To do so they must meet with the teacher, the nurse, and perhaps the director, at the beginning of the school year.2. Explain that your child has asthma, what medicines should he / she take and the side effects they can have. The asthmatic child should be treated "normal" as that given to other children.
3. Encourage teachers to allow the child to take their medicine when required without giving too much importance.
Raising Asthma Symptoms
There are common problems facing the child with asthma. One problem is the high absenteeism due to increased asthma symptoms or doctor visits. Rarely teachers send a child home because they think that cough, wheezing, difficulty breathing or colds are "contagious".A knowledgeable teacher reduces these problems. In some cases, you will need additional tutoring for children with asthma. But at any cost the child should stay in school. Daily activities should be carried out as usual, parents should try to send the child to school even mild symptoms of asthma.
Good communication between parents and school officials allow the child with mild attend school. In order to do this it is necessary that the child can take medicine at school and parents can easily be reached in case of an emergency.
Sometimes, children with asthma use their illness as an excuse for not going to school or participate in school activities specific. Parents and teachers need to recognize this and discourage this behavior.
Medication at School
Take the medication at school can be very difficult since most children with asthma want to hide the need for medications. School authorities also misinformed sometimes make it impossible for the child with asthma take medicines. In other cases some children refuse to go to another school site (school nurse or secretary) to take their medications.The school officials and parents should create an environment that shows the child with asthma that is acceptable to take your medication at school. With the approval of the physician and parents, the child with asthma can take your dose inhalers (MDI) and use them properly. It should establish the needs of each child with asthma.
Side Effects of Drugs
The side effects of medication can be a real problem. These effects may include headache and tremors, stomach pain, or sleep (also by an attack at midnight, etc..), And these can affect a child's learning ability.Several of these drugs can also affect the concentration level of the child and can also affect your handwriting. Teachers should be aware that asthma drugs can affect a child's ability to act and / or behave properly. They should inform parents of any problems so they can treat it with appropriate changes in asthma management program of the child (eg drug dose changes, medication changes).
Physical Education and Sports
Participating in physical education and organized sports teams sometimes creates problems in the child with asthma. Proper education of everyone involved should help avoid embarrassment and / or unwillingness to exercise.By reluctance to separate from their peers, children often avoid going to the school office to use their MDIs before exercise. Allowing children to carry their IDM avoids this problem, and improves participation.
Some environmental conditions (cold, dry air, wind, pollution, high levels of allergens) can cause more asthma symptoms with exercise. The child and teacher / coach should know what medications administered to prevent exercise-induced asthma. It is important to continue an exercise program to prevent or adequately reduce the symptoms of exercise-induced asthma.
Before you start an asthmatic child physical education class at school, the child's doctor must write a letter to the teacher / physical education coach specifying the nature of exercise-induced asthma, prevention techniques, and explain warning signs the asthma management program of the child.
The school must help the asthmatic child to participate in sports and physical education and hope that each one knows his own limitations.
Other Problems
There are other problems that a child with asthma or allergy can be found in school. Sometimes the classroom can be allergens and irritants as pets, dusty carpets, old blackboards or mold. The presence of any allergenic pet in the classroom (hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, rabbits, etc..) Should be discarded.Adequate ventilation of the classroom is essential, especially when children are working with chemicals for art projects, scientists, etc.. Sometimes, to avoid these scents is necessary for the child changes classrooms.
Some children with nasal allergies are associated ear problems which may interfere with your hearing. It should teach the teachers to find evidence of hearing loss, including inattention, trouble following directions, behavioral changes and signs of deteriorating job performance.
Some children with asthma and allergies who have severe sensitivity or allergy to food or food preservatives. These children need their parents to discuss any problems expected with the cafeteria staff. Some days the cafeteria will have to give some alternative food or the child will need to bring your own food.
It takes teamwork to function normally asthmatic children in school. The family, the school staff and the child with asthma should work together. This team effort will help create a positive and healthy environment for the child.
