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Ensure that students with asthma have convenient
access to their medications.
Many students with
asthma require two different
medications: one for daily control
and prevention, the other to treat and relieve symptoms. These
medications are usually taken by metered-dose inhaler.
Preventive asthma medications are taken daily and usually can be
scheduled for before and after school hours. However, some
students may need to take preventive daily medication during
school hours. All students with asthma need to have their
medication that relieves symptoms available at school in case of
unexpected exposure to
asthma triggers, or an
asthma episode. In
addition, students with asthma often benefit from using their
inhaled medication 5-10 minutes before exercise to prevent
exercise induced bronchospasm. If accessing the medication
is difficult, inconvenient, or embarrassing, the student may be
discouraged and fail to use the inhaler as needed. The student's
asthma may become unnecessarily worse and his or her activities
needlessly limited.
Actions to
Consider
-
Provide students
with asthma convenient access to their medications for all on-
and off-site activities before, during and after school. These
medications prevent as well as treat symptoms and enable the
student to participate safely and vigorously in physical
activities.
-
Enable students
to carry and administer their own medications if the
parent/guardian, health care provider, and school nurse so
advise.
Modify physical activities to match current asthma
status
Students who
follow their asthma management plans and keep their
asthma under
control can usually participate vigorously in the full range of
sports and physical activities. Activities that are more intense
and sustained--such as long periods of running, basketball, and
soccer - are more likely to provoke asthma symptoms or an asthma
episode. However, Olympic medalists with serious asthma have
demonstrated that these activities are possible with good asthma
management.
Actions to
Consider
-
Include adequate
warm-up and cool-down periods. These help prevent or lessen
episodes of
exercise induced asthma.
-
Consult the
student's
asthma management plan, parent/guardian, or health
care provider on the type and length of any limitations.
Assess the student and school resources to determine how the
student can participate most fully.
-
Remember that a
student who experiences
symptoms or who has just recovered
from an asthma episode is at even greater risk for additional
asthma problems. Take extra care. Observe for asthma symptoms,
and check the student's peak flow if he or she uses a peak
flow meter. Review the student's asthma management plan if
there are any questions.
-
Monitor the
environment for potential
allergens and irritants, for
example, a recently mowed field or refinished gym floor. If an
allergen or irritant is present, consider a temporary change
in location.
-
Make exercise
modifications as necessary to get appropriate levels of
participation. For example, if running is scheduled, the
student could walk the whole distance, run part of the
distance, alternate running and walking.
-
Keep the student
involved when any temporary but major modification is
required. Ask the student to act, for example, as a
scorekeeper, timer, or equipment handler until he or she can
return to full participation. Dressing for a physical
education class and participating at any level is better than
being left out or left behind.
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