Keeping your child safe at school is a team effort. Follow the steps below to help school nurses, teachers and other school personnel deal with your child's asthma or allergies. Taking just a few simple steps can ensure your child stays healthy throughout the school year.
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Schedule a meeting with teachers and the school nurse to discuss your child's condition.
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Teach your child how to correctly take her medications.
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Review your child's triggers. Encourage him to ask a teacher for help when symptoms worsen.
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If your child is allergic to certain foods, inform cafeteria staff and teachers. Tell them how to avoid the trigger and suggest safe alternatives for celebrations and class projects involving food. If possible, have your child bring a bag lunch to school or suggest an allergy-free lunch table.
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If your child is at risk for anaphylaxis, the child, teacher or school nurse should have autoinjectable epinephrine on hand and know how to use it.
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Make sure physical education teachers and coaches know about your child's asthma. Let them know the warning signs of an asthma attack.
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Work with your child's school system to address their concerns about your child's medical needs. Provide a written Asthma Action Plan or Anaphylaxis Action Plan to better control your child's health. Make this plan available to school personnel.
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Encourage your child's physician to be an informational resource for the school. You can also use the AAAAI Speaker's Bureau to find an expert who can speak to both students and school staff about allergies and asthma.
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See a physician if your child is having trouble with learning, endurance or alertness. These symptoms may be due to side effects of the child's condition or medications.
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Make sure your child has her medications (especially a quick-relief inhaler or autoinjectable epinephrine) with them at school. Talk to school personnel about letting your child carry these medications with them throughout the day.
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Talk to an allergist/immunologist about the type of asthma controller medication your child is currently using. According to the most recent NAEPP guidelines, an inhaled corticosteroid is the best control medicine for persistent asthma.
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