1. Asthma Friendly Schools nickola.rickard@nhs.net
This presentation will cover
Legislation and guidance related to asthma in schools (recording medications)
Recommended standards of care
What is Asthma
Recognising asthma
Acting on asthma in the school environment

2. Two key documents for schools:
1.Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions (Sept 2014)
2.Guidance on the use of Emergency
Inhalers in school. (Sept 2014)

3. Five essential standards:
Policy
Register
Care plan
Emergency procedures
Asthma lead

4. What is Asthma is common Asthma is Long Term
Asthma should be taken seriously – It can kill if it is not controlled
Asthma is Disruptive (missed schools days, inability to concentrate, persistent cough, sleepless nights)

5. Video clip
(4mins)

6. How many children have asthma in this school/in the UK?
Think - Is there a high or low prevalence in your school? why does it matter? – all staff should be able to identify students with asthma – every school should have an asthma register – ask if staff know where this is located?
Prompt to take notice as there will be a scenario a bit later on
Discuss prevalence and the number of students with asthma – Ask what the school process is with regards to the care of the student with Asthma …
Are the students in this school self medicating? – Yes (should have a spare)
Where would you find their inhaler? (Should be either classroom or school office)
What do you need to check for before administering an inhaler? (That it’s the right child and they have parental consent)
What piece of information will help you (care plan/asthma register)

7. What does it feel like to have an asthma attack?

8. Smoking House Dust mite Pollen Common cold Exercise Emotions Chemicals
Common Triggers
Smoking
House Dust mite
Pollen
Common cold
Exercise
Emotions
Chemicals
Pet Dander
Weather
Pollution
Medicines
Asthma can start at any age. It is difficult to know what causes asthma, but so far we know that:
if one or both of your parents have asthma you are more likely to have it
many aspects of modern lifestyles - such as changes in housing and diet and a more hygienic environment - may have added to the rise in asthma
smoking during pregnancy increases the chance of a child developing asthma
being exposed to cigarette smoke increases the chance of developing asthma
teenagers who start to smoke double their risk of developing asthma
irritants such as dust and chemicals may lead to a person developing asthma
Smoking – smoking cessation info on impact of passive smoking on children – school policy on staff smoking
Pollen – significance of hayfever symptoms on exams
Chemicals – need an awareness that some chemicals might affect asthma sufferers – recognise and act on the symptoms.

9. How would you know a child was having an asthma attack ?
Symptoms – (coughing wheezing or getting out of breath easily) Breathing – (avoiding exertion or moving about more slowly than usual) - Inhaler use (inhaler not lasting for 4 hours, increase in the use of inhaler)
Coughing
Wheezing
Difficulty in breathing
Tight chest
Difficulty walking or talking in full sentences.

12. How and why use an inhaler and spacer

13. Do you know your School? Asthma Emergency Kits Asthma Policy
Copy of the register
Identify asthma champions
Record of administration
Named Childs school asthma plan and inhaler
Write down all the signs and symptoms of asthma you can remember

14. Scenario

15. Nickola.rickard@nhs.net Asthma Friendly schools enquiries
- Asthma information
– Air pollution alerts
– free online asthma training