An estimated 7 million U.S. kids under age 18 have been diagnosed with asthma, and more than 13 million days of school are missed each year because of the condition, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
Many asthma symptoms in children tend to appear during school hours. This situation can be quite stressful since parents cannot be there to take care of it, like they would do at home. Although there isn’t a complete cure for asthma, it can be manageable if proper care is taken ahead of time. Asthma symptoms could really put a damper on your child’s daily activities, so make the effort to keep your child’s asthma under control.
Work with Your Doctor to Create an Action Plan
Since your family physician probably knows best about your child’s asthma condition, it would be wise to draft a plan of action with him or her concerning treatment and preventive measures. This informational plan may include:
- A list of medications and dosages
- Your child’s personal asthma triggers
- The early signs/symptoms of a “flare-up”
- Instructions on what to do and when to seek emergency help if a flare-up occurs
- Peak flow meter/monitoring
Alert Your Child’s School
Contact your child’s school and let them know about your child’s asthma condition. Be sure to give them a copy of your child’s asthma action plan. Most schools are now required by law to allow students to carry asthma medication (e.g., inhalers) with them, so this needs to be discussed with school officials as well. There should be at least one responsible adult (homeroom teacher, school nurse, etc.) who is clearly aware of and knows how to deal with your child’s asthma. However, the more people who can keep watch over your child, the more secure he or she will be if symptoms were to occur.
Aside from alerting school staff, you should thoroughly educate your child about his or her asthma condition as well. Let your child know what he or she should personally watch out for and about seeking the right help when needed. If everyone is in on the action plan, then your child should be safe from emergency situations.
If you or your child struggles with asthma, other allergic diseases or recurrent infections, expert care, education and support are available from the best allergy-immunology doctors at Augusta University and Children’s Hospital of Georgia in Augusta, Georgia. We offer allergy-immunology physicians who are board-certified in allergy-immunology. Request an online appointment now or call 706-721-KIDS (5437) or toll free at 888-721-KIDS (5437) to speak to a member of our pediatric and adult allergy, asthma and immunology team.
Sources: KidsHealth, WebMD
