Pupils with Asthma are welcome in school and will be encouraged to take a full part in all the activities of the school.
The school accepts the responsibility of advising all it’s staff (teachers, ancillaries and lunch-time welfare assistants etc.) in practical asthma management. We will seek to make close links with the school nursing service, who will play an important role in educating the staff in asthma management and we will encourage their involvement.
The school will undertake to ask all parents if their child has asthma or is very wheezy and if they have to use an inhaler. The school will maintain a record of all pupils with asthma and will endeavour to obtain details of every child's treatment from parents, together with 'clear guidance on correct usage'.
Pupils with asthma, who need a reliever (1) inhaler should be encouraged to have two inhalers, one at home and the other to bring to school daily.
Pupils, who need preventer (2) inhaler should also be encouraged to have two of these so that they can bring one to school, if one needs to be used during the school day.
(1) Reliever inhalers - Ventalin, Brycanyl, Salbutamal
(2) Preventer inhalers - Intal, Becotide, Pulmicart
Pupils need instant access to reliever inhalers at all times. Delay in taking relief treatment can lead to a severe asthma attack and can in rare cases be fatal. The school will try to ensure that any pupil has easy access to his/her inhaler at all times whether in the classroom, the playground, the sports field, the pool, during lunch-time and breaks and on school trips.
The school will liaise with individual parents about whether the child or the teacher should hold the inhaler. The school will aim to allow the pupil with asthma to take a full part in all school activities unless the pupil is severely affected.
During games and P.E. activities the teachers will be aware of pupils with asthma who need to use an inhaler either before or during exercise. Pupils will not be forced to participate in games or exercise it they say they are too wheezy to continue. The teacher will ensure that the pupil takes the inhaler to the pool or the sports field. Any teacher who feels that a pupil is becoming too over-reliant on their reliever inhaler or has poorly controlled asthma must report their feelings to either the parents or the head-teacher, who will contact the parents. The school does not allow smoking to take place, as passive smoking may be responsible for triggering an asthma attack.
If a child with severe asthma needs to use a nebuliser to deliver his/her drugs, the teacher will liaise with the parents and the school nurse to ensure correct management of the nebuliser.
If classroom pets are likely to cause problems for children with asthma, the school will ensure that the asthma sufferer does not come into contact with the pets.
If a child has an asthma attack at school
If a child has an attack they should be treated according to their individual health care plan.
An ambulance should be called if:
- The symptoms do not improved sufficiently in 5 – 10 minutes.
- The child is too breathless to speak.
- The child is becoming exhausted.
- The child looks blue.
Use the following links to access external information on this subject :
Reviewed by Elaine Hodson – May 2011
To be reviewed again – Spring/Summer 2012.
