The key aspects of managing asthma at school or college are starting with a good asthma action plan, identifying triggers, and ensuring that asthma medication is always available.
Having a plan can help kids and young adults with asthma successfully manage the symptoms at school. A student with asthma, their healthcare team, the school staff, and their parents or caregivers can work together make sure the student is prepared to manage asthma in the school setting.
It’s important that everyone understands the asthma plan and knows how to implement it.
Read on for more information about how to help kids and young adults manage asthma while at school, including steps to take to help prevent asthma attacks when possible.
If you have a child in elementary school, middle school, or high school, you’ll need to work with their healthcare team to develop a clear asthma action plan. It’s important that the student is aware of their asthma triggers and understands how to avoid those triggers while at school or college.
Depending on their age, students need to know when and how to take their asthma medications — especially any emergency or rescue medications they have. They also need quick access to these medications.
If your child is a college student, you’ll need to make sure they understand their asthma plan and how to follow it while living away from home.
An asthma action plan is a written plan that provides information about a person’s asthma and instructions for managing their care. It generally includes:
- the medications the person takes for asthma
- their common asthma symptoms
- their asthma triggers
- tips for recognizing that their asthma symptoms are worsening
- clear instructions for what to do during an asthma emergency
If the student is a child, it’s important to discuss this plan with them and share it with their school and teacher.
If the student is in college, they should have a copy of their asthma action plan and understand it. They need to learn about their asthma triggers and the medications they take for asthma.
Here are templates you can use to create an asthma action plan with your child’s doctor:
Making sure students have access to their asthma medication while at school or college is a key part of successfully managing asthma. Here are tips for ensuring that students can access asthma medications at school.
Planning for school
It’s important to understand and follow all rules related to asthma medication for students at your child’s school.
Follow your school’s medication policies, such as:
- signing all permission forms related to medications at school
- providing all required forms from your child’s doctor
- completing all forms necessary for your child to carry their medications, if appropriate
- sharing your child’s asthma action plan with the school nurse, your child’s teacher, and other appropriate school staff
- making sure the school has contact information for you and for your child’s doctors
Planning for college
If you’re a college student or will soon be one, there are some steps you can take to prepare for managing your asthma medication. It’s important that you understand your asthma medications, when to take them, and how to use any rescue medication or inhalers you have.
You’ll also need to take the following steps:
- Make sure that you have enough medication for your semester or have refills on file at the pharmacy you plan to use while at college.
- Understand when and how often you need to get your asthma medication refilled.
- Choose a pharmacy near campus or set up mail-order pharmacy services.
- Be aware of when you need to see a doctor to renew your prescriptions.
Having an asthma action plan and keeping asthma medications up to date and at hand are both key parts of asthma management. Below are some other steps you or your child can take to help them manage asthma while at school or college:
Identify and reduce asthma triggers
Asthma triggers are things that cause asthma symptoms to start.
The most common asthma triggers are:
- allergies
- some medications
- air pollution and other airborne irritants
- other health conditions, such as respiratory infections
- physical activity
- some air temperatures and types of weather
- strong emotions
It’s important to recognize a child’s individual triggers and communicate these to the appropriate people at school, such as the school nurse, your child’s teacher, or paraprofessionals who work in your child’s classroom.
It’s also important that college students know their asthma triggers and have a plan for avoiding or preventing them. Many college students are away from home for the first time and may be responsible for taking care of their living space for the first time. That may mean vacuuming frequently, washing bedding often, and carefully considering any pets.
Educate the school staff or college peers about asthma and asthma prevention
Creating an asthma action plan is the first step in educating school staff members about a child’s needs for managing asthma. It might be a good idea to schedule time during the school year to update that action plan and go over it again with relevant school staff.
If you’re in college, it’s important to identify people who can help you manage your asthma. You might find it helpful to know where the health clinic is and to meet the clinic staff. Your doctor can help you create a symptom prevention plan for life in an apartment or dorm.
If you have roommates, you can help them understand the importance of preventing asthma symptoms and attacks. Explain to them what your asthma triggers are and why you might need to keep your living space neat and limit potential irritants like dust, mold, and pet dander.
Many colleges pair roommates based on factors such as interests. Your college may have some rooms that are better for students with respiratory conditions.
Create clear communication for monitoring the plan and making changes
One of the best ways to help a child or young adult manage asthma symptoms at school or college is to effectively communicate the asthma action plan, any known triggers, and the student’s medication needs.
Most schools and colleges have policies to work with students and their families regarding health conditions. Your asthma action plan is a great place to start open communication. Most schools also have policies and paperwork to help students and their families prepare for these discussions.
Many colleges offer health services for students. Some may have only basic healthcare services, but others may offer more, so it’s a good idea to research the services the school offers.
It’s important to know how prepared the school is to handle your asthma needs and whether you’ll need an off-campus healthcare option.
Alcohol and asthma don’t mix well
With
Alcohol can be an asthma trigger for many people. If you have asthma and you drink alcohol, it’s important to notice how it makes you feel and whether your asthma worsens.
It’s also a good idea to ask your doctor or pharmacist how alcohol will affect you if you’re taking asthma medications.
What you can do
The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology suggests asking questions such as:
- How do I fill my prescriptions on campus?
- Can the health center transfer me to a hospital if needed?
- Does the health center offer nebulizer treatments?
If the school’s health center does not offer the necessary services, look for a healthcare professional in the area who can provide at least basic asthma care appointments and refill your prescriptions when necessary.
You might also want to contact the college’s office of student disabilities if you need accommodations to attend school safely.
A child or young adult with asthma will need a plan for managing the condition while at school or college. The first step is to work with a doctor to create an asthma action plan.
It’s also important to identify the student’s asthma triggers, find ways to avoid those triggers, and make sure the student has access to asthma medication for symptom management or emergency situations.
The student or their caregivers, the school or college, and staff such as teachers and paraprofessionals can work together to make sure that a student can successfully manage their asthma while away from home.