Asthma is a leading cause of chronic disease-related school absenteeism. Students experience fewer missed days from school when parents and school administrators work together to address risk factors for students with asthma at school. Understanding “what is asthma,” coupled with a healthy school environment, can improve asthma management in school.
Do schools need an asthma policy?
School personnel and school nurses need to develop policies and plans so they are prepared to deal with asthma at school. This includes:
- asthma training for school personnel
- asthma education in schools
- effective asthma management programs
An asthma management plan to reduce asthma triggers should also be addressed to improve a student’s health. Allergy & Asthma Network offers tools to keep children safe at school and for professionals to access resources.
Asthma management and school health services
It is vital to identify your students with asthma as soon as possible in order to meet their individual health needs. Schools should be aware of environmental health issues. They should develop prevention strategies to create asthma-friendly schools.
How do schools deal with asthma?
Schools should have sound school health policies and protocols in place for managing asthma in the school setting. Asthma programs should address how to care for students who are known to have asthma as well as those students who experience their first symptoms at school. The policies should include (but aren’t limited to):
- students covered by the policy
- school programs and environments covered
- medication administration, documentation and storage
- identifying staff members authorized to administer the medication
- a planned response in case of an emergency
- education, training and notification, including asthma information for teachers
- a school district communication plan
A district or school protocol should describe the appropriate procedures or guidance to follow for the care of students with asthma. It’s especially important to have protocols in place that outline emergency care, medication use and stock albuterol.
Asthma and school: a simple protocol
Children with asthma benefit from a protocol to manage asthma and to guide care.
- Set up a medication system for maintenance and emergency medications.
- Meet with parents (as needed) to build a trusting relationship and obtain:
- Medication orders
- Medications such as quick-relief inhalers
- Asthma Action Plan
- Communicate with faculty, school nurses, and staff to alert them to student health needs.
- Provide asthma education to staff as needed.
- Review symptoms of asthma with all staff and post signs of symptoms in classrooms.
Asthma Signs & Symptoms – A Guide for Schools
Print and display above phone in each classroom.
School Staff should know the following about asthma and allergies:
➤ Signs and symptoms
➤ Common risk factors, triggers and/or allergens
➤ How to prevent asthma flares / allergy exposures
➤ Never send a child to the School Health Office alone
➤ What are the signs and symptoms of an emergency
➤ How to respond to an asthma or allergy emergency
➤ Needed medication
➤ How to administer medication
➤ How to access emergency medical services as needed (911)
Health Professionals: Find educational resources to support the CDC’s EXHALE strategies to improve outcomes for people with asthma ➤
Asthma management program during the school year
- Touch base with students with asthma to discuss management of their health condition at school.
- Assess their ability for self-care and self-medication.
- Obtain medications, medication orders and Asthma Action Plan if not previously completed.
- Track expiration dates for medications.
- Write an Individualized Healthcare Plan.
- Develop written Emergency Care Plan as needed with family and student input.
What should the school or school nurse do at the end of the school year?
When a parent or guardian picks up medication stored at school:
- Return unused medication.
- Provide medication forms.
- Request personal Asthma Action Plan to be completed for the next school year.
- Remind the parent to make an appointment with the doctor to get a health update and forms completed. Doctor’s offices can get VERY BUSY close to the start of school.
- Discuss progress made in self-management at home and school.
Asthma training and education for schools
School employees should know the following about asthma and asthma care:
- asthma signs and symptoms
- common risk factors and asthma triggers
- how to prevent asthma flares
- never send a child to the School Health Office alone
- what are the signs and symptoms of an emergency
- how to respond to an asthma emergency
- needed medication, such as a quick-relief inhaler
- how to administer the medication
- how to access emergency medical services as needed (911)
- how to manage activities, environmental triggers, and use daily air quality information
The school nurse, teachers and athletic coaches should have a copy of the child’s Asthma Action Plan.
School nurses and teachers can help children with asthma feel comfortable talking about their condition. Try to maintain confidentiality if preferred. Educate other students about asthma so they will be more understanding and know when to get help from an adult.
Consider using multiple teaching approaches to educate staff. Teaching methods may include:
- group educational session at a faculty meeting
- small group approaches during a team meeting
- individual sessions for teachers who are responsible for students with severe asthma.
Reinforce the teaching through faculty newsletters, reading materials in the faculty room and individual notes or emails.
What Asthma Action Plan should be used at school?
Allergy & Asthma Network recommends the School Asthma Management Program (SAMPRO) Asthma Action Plans and resources. The SAMPRO resources were developed with multiple stakeholders under the direction of the American Academy of Asthma, Allergy & Immunology (AAAAI) and the National Association of School Nurses (NASN). The Asthma Action Plan is available in English and Spanish. You can add the school district’s logo if desired.
Questions & Answers on Asthma at School (Q&A)
The following is a list of questions we often get from schools, parents, and school nurses.
What are evidence-based resources to use as a part of school-based asthma management policies?
Allergy & Asthma Network has valuable, evidence-based resources for schools and school nurses.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers resources for school personnel on planning and maintaining as asthma management program. CDC’s National Asthma Control Program (NACP) has also developed EXHALE, a set of six strategies that contribute to better asthma control.
Each EXHALE strategy can reduce asthma-related hospitalizations, emergency department visits, and healthcare costs. Using the EXHALE strategies together in a community can have the greatest impact.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers resources to help schools identify and reduce potential asthma triggers at school.
Asthma resources are available for schools and school health professionals
Reviewed by:
Andrea Jensen, AE-C, CHES, is a certified asthma educator and certified health education specialist. She is an environmental health educator with the Utah County Department of Health. Andrea is the mother of three children with asthma and has asthma herself. She authors the “My Life As an Asthma Mom” blog.