A less-obvious source of trouble for kids with asthma in school is fur and dander from a class pet, or even from pets owned by classmates. The academy says communication between school and home is important, especially if your child's asthma symptoms change or worsen. A Student with asthma or allergies should have his own school asthma management plan, according to allergists. For parents of young students, that can mean sitting down with everybody at school who will have the most responsibility for kids, including the school nurse, the child's classroom teacher, and a gym teacher or coach. The school should have the plan on file, and children should participate by signing off on their own responsibilities.
Parents can then pass that information along to teachers.
A crucial part of any school asthma management plan is how and when your child will take asthma drugs. In a change from when many of us went to school, allergists say that kids should carry their asthma medication with them in the classroom. The American School Health Association, which represents school physicians, nurses and administrators, agrees. Even kids in kindergarten may be able to handle their own medication, Landry says. If the kid's been on an inhaler since he was 2, it's not going to be a big deal.