Back to School With Asthma

 

Now that the Olympics are over, my social media feed is full of pictures of little kids going back to school. 

Awww. I remember those days! 

My kids are all adults now, but I remember buying school supplies, shoes, and clothes.

But the most important thing was making sure my kids with asthma were are safe at school. 

1. Meet the teachers 

Back in the day, I was always the first one in the classroom to talk to my kid's teachers. I would let her know that my kids have severe asthma and have been in the hospital many times. (By this point, all of the teachers knew me  - and my kids....) 😬

I would give the teacher my cell number and tell her to call me if my child was having an asthma attack. I always gave them a handout about the signs and symptoms of asthma. I offered to train the staff with a short training "What To Do if a Student Has an Asthma Attack", but they didn't have time

2. Check in with the school nurse 

I was on a first name basis with the school nurse. She wasn't there that often, about 2-3 hours per week, but she knew us! (That's a bad thing, isn't it?)

She knew the history of all of my kid's asthma hospitalizations. I would tell her when one of them would be discharged from the hospital and home recuperating on oxygen. When one of my kids returned to school, she would keep an extra eye on them.

3. Complete an asthma action plan and self administration form

Did you know that EVERY state in the U.S. has laws on the book that allows children to self-carry their asthma inhaler? 

You and your doctor can decide if your child is old enough/responsible enough to use their inhaler at school. If so, you and the doctor sign the forms and return to the school. 

No need to keep the inhaler locked up in the front office

4. Take a deep breath

You've got this!  💙

You and your school can make a great team to help your child with asthma.