Asthma in School Children - Assignment Example

Asthma in School children - A Guide for Teachers. It is important to know that, although there is as yet no cure for asthma, attacks can with care be controlled . In most cases this is done using steroid medication in inhaled form. This leaflet will enable school staff to assist when an asthma attack occurs, but also helps them to understand how such attacks can be prevented or lessened in their seriousness. Index First Aid - page 1 Mild Asthma Attacks – page 3 Moderate Asthma Attacks – page 3 Severe Asthma Attacks- page 3 What is Asthma? - page 3 Which Child in My Class is Likely to Get Asthma? – page 4 The Curriculum – page 5 The Responsibilities of Schools – page 5 Exercise - page 6 Questions You Need to Ask - page 7 Useful Links - page 8 References - page 9 First Aid Although it is obviously better if this leaflet is read before an attack occurs you may be looking at it while dealing with a wheezing child. If so follow this advice from Asthma Australia :- In a severe asthma attack (see description below) call the emergency services on 000 immediately. Otherwise 1 Sit the person upright. Remain calm and reassuring. Stay with the ill person. 2. Give medication . The child will know how to use this, otherwise see note below*. . They should take 4 puffs, taking 4 breathes in between puffs. 3. Wait 4 minutes. If there is no improvement repeat step 2. 4 If this doesn’t help then ring the emergency number 000. While waiting for emergency assistance keep giving 4 puffs of medication via the inhaler every 4 minutes. *Shake the dispenser well before use. Remove the cap from the dispenser and from the spacer if using one. Place the dispenser into the spacer. Take a breath out, away from the spacer. Place the mouthpiece of the spacer between the lips. Press down the top of the inhaler once. Breathe in slowly. If you wheeze you are breathing too fast. Hold the breath for ten seconds ( a slow count of ten) before breathing out. (Asthma Society of Canada, 2011). If the attack does not subside and the emergency services are contacted then the next of kin or other carer should be contacted next. Carers and parents should also be informed on the same day if an attack has taken place, even if it responds quickly to treatment. Mild Asthma Attacks An attack can be classed as mild if a child is coughing and wheezing, has mild difficulties with shortness of breath, but can still speak in complete sentences between taking breaths. The child may also be restless, and may have difficulties with eating and drinking. For this reason it is important that school dinner staff, as well as teaching staff, are aware that this may be a symptom of an impending asthma attack. Moderate Asthma Attacks The coughing is continuous and wheezing is more pronounced. Breathing difficulties are more severe and the child can only speak in very short phrases before forced to take another breath. Severe Asthma Attack The person is quite distressed and may have blue lips and is sweaty. The wheeze may be quiet rather than noisy, but the throat and ribs are drawn inwards by the effort required. Speech is all but impossible. What is asthma? Asthma is a chronic disease of the respiratory system and can occur at any age. In asthma attacks the airways become inflamed and narrowed. Asthmatics often have coughing attacks, especially early in the day or during the night. This narrowing of the airways causes a wheezing sound when breathing, tightness in the chest, and difficulties with breathing. The problems with breathing, if severe and untreated, will result in a lack of oxygen to the brain , but even before that may produce panic in patients. Swollen airways are very sensitive and react badly to inhaled substances. This causes the muscles that surrounds the airways to tighten This further narrows the airways and so even less air can reach the lungs. Also cells that line the airways may produce thick , sticky mucus which further narrow the airways. These symptoms occur with each attack. Although it can affect people of any age, most cases of asthma have their beginnings in childhood and in many cases symptoms disappear in adulthood as a person’s immune system matures. According to Health Insite ( 2011) asthma is the most common chronic condition in Australia, affecting as many as 1 in 7 children in primary school and among teenagers 1 in 8 has the condition. Of those who remain non-asthmatic by the age of 5, somewhat more than 4% will develop asthmatic symptoms within the next two years i.e. before they are 7. Statistics like these mean that it is highly likely that in any class you teach there will be at least one child with asthma, even if they appear to be symptomless. Which child in my class is likely to get asthma? Among children it happens most often in boys than girls, especially in those with older siblings, those who have been in child care, were born prematurely, and required care in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. It is also commoner in those who had attended a general practitioner, had visited a hospital emergency department or been hospitalised. It is also commoner among indigenous Australians, the poorer members of our society, those with other chronic conditions and those with mental or behavioural problems. Obese children are also more likely to develop asthma. The Asthma Foundation believes that a healthy, balanced diet should be part of controlling asthma. The Curriculum While there obviously should be no attempt to pick put sufferers, discussing such things as what constitutes a healthy balanced diet could be part of a school curriculum from an early age. With older children learning about the respiratory system may be part of =human biology lessons and this could include such things as why it is important that airways work correctly. The Responsibilities of Schools As far as asthmatics are concerned the best schools are those that make the most effort to create environments where they can learn safely and are supported by the whole school community, including all members of staff and families. Such schools have policies and plans in place which mean that students can learn to manage their condition. It is important, for the sake of the asthmatic children and for staff immediately involved, that schools develop an adequate policy to deal with the possibility of asthma attacks in school children. This might include naming certain staff as being trained to deal with attacks, although this approach has the disadvantage of others not knowing what to do if these staff are not available. It can also make such things as field trips harder to arrange. Children who are likely to have attacks need to be identified and decisions made about their medication such as where it is kept and who is responsible for deciding if and when it should be used. When children enter school parents and carers must be required to complete a profile including such things as next of kin, contact details and any known medical conditions. Parents should also be informed of school policies about such things as medications in school and the withdrawing of children from certain activities. Such information, although not public, needs to be readily available to involved staff , especially to class teachers. It should also include signed permission forms which allow staff to administer emergency help as required. While older children may be considered to be old enough to be responsible for their own medication, in younger children the staff should take care of medication. Asthma spacers in particular are quite bulky, and so are likely to be left behind at home. Online training is available for those working in schools and preschools. Local asthma groups will have information about this. Some staff may not feel that it is part of their task to care for sick children. It must be made clear in school contracts what is expected and then the school, or local education board, must ensure that staff receive adequate training so that they will be confident and capable. This will reassure them, and so reassure the ill child. Steps should be taken to eliminate likely triggers such as moulds, cleaning chemicals etc ( National Asthma Council Australia2011). Children need to be aware that staff should be informed right at the beginning of an attack, and be reassured that the staff member knows what to do and how to get help if necessary. At the same time as soon as a child is old enough they should be taught by parents or carers how and when to use their medication, while at the same time encouraged in the belief that having asthma need not necessarily mean that they cannot participate in certain things. Exercise A healthy life style is an effective way to control asthma. This includes activities such as swimming, which can be especially helpful as the child is breathing in warm moist air, rather than dry air. This will not be such a problem in areas where the air tends to have a higher moisture content than elsewhere. Swimming also helps people to develop healthy breathing patterns. In some cases the chlorine in swimming pool water can trigger attacks. If this is suspected then the child’s carers should be advised to consult the child’s doctor. That being said (My Dr,,undated) lots of asthmatics complain that exercise is a trigger for their attacks. A proper warm up is said to help to prevent this happening. If an attack does begin however the exercise should be stopped and a rest taken. If needed an inhaler should be used. Once symptoms have stopped and breathing is comfortable again then exercise can re-begin. If parents or carers are worried about their child taking part in any school exercise programme they should talk to their general practitioner , rather than simply deciding to withdraw their child from classes. Doctors may be able to prescribe medications to be taken in order to prevent exercise induced attacks. Questions You Need to Ask Does the school have an asthma policy? If the answer is ‘No’ what can be done about this? Do I know which children in my class are asthmatics? Do I know if these children have their medication with them? If they haven’t what can be done about this? What should I do if a child has an attack? Are there things in school or things we do which may trigger attacks in particular children? Can I tell if a child is having an asthma attack? How can I tell if an attack is serious or not? Do I know what to do in an emergency if a child has a severe attack? Is there a plan in place to look after the class if I have to take a child elsewhere during an attack? Where can I find information about emergency contact numbers? Who is responsible for informing parents and carers about attacks? Can more be done by the school to prevent or control asthma attacks Do I need more training in order to better help a child having an attack? Are there any insurance problems? Useful Links, Asthma and Daily Living, Asthma Foundation - http://www.asthmafoundation.org.au/asthma_and_daily_living.aspx Asthma Australia - First Aid Poster https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/AsthmaFirstAid Phone 1800 645 145, e-mail asthmaaustralia .org.au Asthma Foundation - http://www.asthmafoundation.org.au/QLD/Purpose_mission_values.aspx Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 26 Thynne Street , Fern Hill Park, Bruce ACT 2617, Phone ( 02) 6244 1000, Fax ( 02) 6244 1299 Publication, ‘Asthma in Australia 2011’, available online http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737420159 References Asthma Australia, ( undated) First Aid Poster, retrieved 14th November 2011 from https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/AsthmaFirstAid Asthma in Australia 2011, ( 2011) , Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring, retrieved 14th November 2011 from http://www.asthmamonitoring.org/ Asthma in Australian Children: Findings from Growing Up in Australia, the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children ( 2009) Australian Centre for Asthma Monitoring, retrieved 14th November 2011 from http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=6442468289 Asthma Society of Canada, How to Use your Inhaler, retrieved 14th November 2011 from http://www.asthma.ca/adults/treatment/spacers.php Australian Institute of Health and Welfare ( 2009) Asthma, retrieved 15th November 2011 Health Insite,(2011) Asthma, retrieved 15th November 2011 from http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Asthma National Asthma Council Australia ( 2011) Asthma Triggers, retrieved 15th November 2011 from http://www.nationalasthma.org.au/health-professionals/information- papers/asthma-allergy-asthma-series-no-1-/asthma-triggers MyDr for a Healthy Australia ( undated) Asthma : Can Swimming Help? Retrieved 14th November 2011 from http://www.mydr.com.au/asthma/asthma-can-swimming-help What is asthma? ( 2011) National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, retrieved 14th November 2011 from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/asthma/ Read More