While some children out grow asthma when they are older, most require treatment for the rest of their lives. Like any child with a chronic disease, children with asthma should be included in the normal everyday activities with other children. They will require special treatment at times but the goal is to make their time at school as routine as possible. Students with asthma will experience more lost school days than other students. Frequent respiratory infections can cause increased asthma symptoms that require extra days at home or hospitalizations.
Some asthma medications have side effects that cause problems with learning and behavior.
These changes can be a sign that medications should be reevaluated by the physician. Parents need to be made aware of any difficulties in school when they occur. Some children will have nasal symptoms that can be associated with ear problems, interfering with their hearing. If you notice any of these problems, notify the child's parents. Taking part in play time or gym class can create problems for the asthmatic student.