School and Asthma Medication
- Thursday, September 24, 2009, 13:50
- Asthma
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- Erin:
- Well, I would think that they would want to because as I understand it, asthma is the number one reason for school absenteeism, and of course we want these kids in the classroom. We don’t want them to have to stay home because they have asthma.
- Nancy:
- Absolutely.
- Erin:
- Do children’s asthma get worse because they transition to school? I mean, does that often happen? Do they often have flare-ups? And how do you handle that medication problem?
- Nancy:
- Well, the medication problem is a real challenge. In the state of Virginia, we just recently were able to get legislation that permits children to carry their inhalers at school. It was basically a statement reinforcing a federal law that already gives students this right, and it’s called the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Nancy:
- And this information is also in our school education packet. Every child with asthma does have a right to carry their inhaler on their person. The schools just need to establish policies that make that safe to do for all students, and so by safe I mean the student must be responsible for keeping their inhaler under control and not sharing it with other students. They must be old enough and trained by their physicians about, how to take their inhaler the correct way and also how to, know when it needs to be refilled.
So, there’s all these intricate stuff that, at first, seem overwhelming when you’re trying to coordinate a child’s care at school.
But as a mother of four children, three of whom have asthma and allergies and other kinds of health problems, I am very encouraged that it can be done.
You just take things one step at a time, and you just don’t try to do too much at one time.
- Erin:
- Well, and remember that communication with that school nurse, the doctor or the teacher is the key.
- Nancy:
- Oh, absolutely.
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