National Heart,
Lung, and Blood Institute
National Asthma Education and Prevention Program
School Asthma Education Subcommittee
How Asthma-Friendly Is Your School?
Students with asthma need proper support at school
to keep their asthma under control and be fully active. Use
the questions below to find out how well your school serves
students with asthma:
- Are the school buildings and grounds free of tobacco smoke
at all times? Are all school buses, vans, and trucks free
of tobacco smoke? Are all school events, like field trips
and team games (both "at-home" and "away"), free from tobacco
smoke?
- Does your school have a policy or rule that allows students
to carry and use their own asthma medicines? If some students
do not carry their asthma medicines, do they have quick
and easy access to their medicines?
- Does your school have a written emergency plan for teachers
and staff to follow to take care of a student who has an
asthma attack? In an emergency, such as a fire, weather,
or lockdown, or if a student forgets his/her medicine, does
your school have standing orders and quick-relief medicines
for students to use?
- Do all students with asthma have updated asthma action
plans on file at the school? An asthma action plan is a
written plan from the student's doctor to help manage asthma
and prevent asthma attacks.
- Is there a school nurse in your school building during
all school hours? Does a nurse identify, assess and monitor
students with asthma at your school? Does he/she help students
with their medicines, and help them be active in physical
education, sports, recess, and field trips? If a school
nurse is not full-time in your school, is a nurse regularly
available to write plans and give the school guidance on
these issues?
- Does the school nurse or other asthma education expert
teach school staff about asthma, asthma action plans, and
asthma medicines? Does someone teach all students about
asthma and how to help a classmate who has asthma?
- Can students with asthma fully and safely join in physical
education, sports, recess, and field trips? Are students'
medicines nearby, before and after they exercise? Can students
with asthma choose a physical activity that is different
from others in the class when it is medically necessary?
Can they choose another activity without fear of being ridiculed
or receiving reduced grades?
- Does the school have good indoor air quality? Does the
school help to reduce or prevent students' contact with
allergens or irritants, indoors and outdoors, that can make
their asthma worse? Allergens and irritants include mold,
dust mites, cockroaches, and strong odors or fumes from
things like bug spray, paint, perfumes, and cleaners. Does
the school exclude animals with fur or hair?
If the answer to any question is no, then it may be harder
for students to have good control of their asthma. Uncontrolled
asthma can hinder a student's attendance, participation and
progress in school. School staff, healthcare providers, and
families should work together to make schools more asthma-friendly
to promote student health and education.
For more information on keeping students with asthma safe
at school, see the list of resources on the next page. National
and state laws can help children with asthma.
Asthma cannot be cured but it can
be controlled.
Students with asthma should be able to live healthy, active
lives with few symptoms.
Resources for Families and School Staff
National Asthma Education and Prevention
Program National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Information
Center
(301) 251-1222
Internet: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov
NAEPP School materials: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/prof/lung/
Allergy & Asthma Network
Mothers of Asthmatics
(800) 878-4403 or (703) 641-9595
www.breatherville.org
American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology
(800) 822-ASMA or (414) 272-6071
www.aaaai.org
American Academy of Pediatrics
(800) 433-9016 or (847) 228-5005
www.aap.org
American Association for Respiratory Care
(972) 243-2272
www.aarc.org
American Association of School Administrators
(703) 841-0700
www.aasa.org
American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
(800) 842-7777 or (847) 427-1200
http://www.acaai.org
American Lung Association
For the affiliate nearest you, call
(800) LUNG USA
www.lungusa.org
American School Health Association
(330) 678-1601
www.ashaweb.org
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
(800) 7-ASTHMA or (202) 466-7643
www.aafa.org
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health
Promotion
Division of Adolescent and School Health
(800) CDC-INFO
www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/asthma
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Environmental Health
Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects
(800) CDC-INFO
www.cdc.gov/asthma
National Association of School Nurses
(866) 627-6767
www.nasn.org
National Association of State Boards of Education
(703) 684.4000
www.nasbe.org
U.S. Department of Education
Office for Civil Rights, Customer Service Team,
(800) 421-3481 or (202) 205-5413
www.ed.gov/offices/OCR
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Indoor Environments Division,
(202) 233-9370
www.epa.gov/iaq/schools
Indoor Air Quality Information Clearinghouse
(800) 438-4318
www.epa.gov/iaq
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