Don't forget asthma inhalers when school is out!

School is out for summer in most states, and that means emptying out the backpack your kids have been carrying around all year (how long has THAT been in there?)

 

As you empty out their backpacks, make sure you check for their asthma inhaler.

 

Some kids will have an inhaler at home and another one at school. Sometimes you can forget about the inhaler at school. 

 

Older kids usually carry their inhalers in their backpacks, but the younger kids might have theirs stored in the teacher's desk.

 

By the way, did you know it's legal in every state in American for kids to carry their inhaler with them at school? American Lung Association says:

 

"Although all 50 states and the District of Columbia have passed a law allowing students to carry and use inhalers at school, some kids are still being denied access to these lifesaving medications during the school day."

 

When my kids were little, I would fill out a permission form at the beginning of every school year and Asthma Specialist would sign it. That would allow them to legally carry their inhaler with them at all times (even though schools are a drug free zone.)

 

Since our family has had LOTS of experience with asthma (it's been 18 years since the 3 kids and I were diagnosed - and we had had 12 hospitalizations for asthma). So, we are very used to inhalers and nebulizers. My kids were responsible enough to carry their inhaler when they were very young. 

 

But other families may find that young kids goof off with inhalers (spray it in their air, let their friends play with it, etc.) So they may have the teacher keep it in his or her desk. 

 

So, do the "end of the year dump"of the backpack and look for your kid's inhaler. If you can't find it, you may have to double check with their teacher or school nurse.

 

Chances are you are going to need that over the summer!