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DoDEA School Health Services Manual 2942.0 Volume 1 Revised: 2016 DRAFT
I-12
Asthma, What School Personnel Need to Know
Information obtained from the American Lung Association.
Asthma is a chronic lung condition with ongoing airway inflammation that
results in recurring breathing difficulties such as coughing, wheezing, chest tightness
and shortness of breath. These symptoms occur because the inflammation makes the
airways overreact to various stimuli including physical activity, upper respiratory
infections, allergens and irritants. Exposure to these stimuli
—
often called triggers
—
creates more swelling and blocking of airways.
Use of inhalers
Students with asthma need a constituent monitoring program to include peak
expiratory flow rate monitoring. The force of air volume the student can expel into a
monitor measures the need for inhaler interventions. Inhaled medication should
begin to work in 10-15 minutes and last up to 4-6 hours. Students may need to
remain with the nurse until there is measured improvement.
Asthma episodes can be mild, moderate, or life threatening.
Common Asthma Triggers:
•
Exercise-running, especially in cold
weather
•
Colds or flu
•
Laughing or crying hard
•
Allergens such as pollen, grass,
animal dander, dust, mold,
cockroach droppings
•
Irritants such as cold air, strong
smells, chemical sprays, perfumes,
paint, cleaning solutions, chalk dust,
cigarette smoke
For students with Asthma, triggers
must
be eliminated in the classroom.
Acute Symptoms Requiring Prompt
Action
•
Coughing/wheezing sound
•
Labored breathing with long
expiration times
•
Chest tightness reported by
student
Actions to take:
•
Restrict the student’s activity
•
Allow student to rest and recover
•
Encourage student to breathe
slowly and relax
If no improvement, notify the school
nurse
Get help immediately if:
•
The student is hunched over with shoulders lifted and straining to breathe
•
The student has difficulty completing a sentence without pausing for a breath
•
The student’s lips or fingernails turn blue or gray