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Asthma Management Guide
Assessment and Monitoring
Once a child is diagnosed with asthma and a treatment plan is prescribed, the child’s asthma should be monitored by the child’s parents and school staff. To help prevent asthma episodes, the student’s physician should periodically reassess the student. When an episode does occur, the student’s parents, school staff and the physician should assist the student in controlling the episode.
Assessment should include the use of a peak flow meter like the one provided with the Peak Performance USA program. This device measures how well the air moves out of the lungs, or peak flow, and works as an early warning device along with assessment of symptoms. Assessment of the student should also include identification of the student’s personal asthma triggers. A variety of triggers can cause as asthma episode. Triggers include: allergens, irritants in the air, respiratory infections, overexertion, weather, some medications, and strong physical expressions of emotion—such as hard laughing or crying.
Much of the day-to-day responsibility for managing asthma falls on the child and the parents. However, because children spend so much time in school, the staff can, through understanding and cooperation, help the student manage the disease. The active participation by school personnel in a partnership with qualified health care providers, the child and parents, can help the child breathe easier and participate fully in school activities.
School personnel, through observation, can play a key role in assisting the student with asthma. Asthma episodes are usually preceded by certain signs. These can occur hours or days before audible wheezing appears or an episode is in full progress.
Symptoms vary among individuals but mayinclude a drop in peak flow (the highest exhaled flow rate the child can produce after a maximal deep breath). Use of a peak flow meter can help detect potential problems because peak flow may decrease before the episode becomes apparent to the individual.
Other signs are an itchy chin or throat, tiredness, light wheezing or coughing, a pain or tightness in the chest, or shortness of breath. Awareness of and observation for these signs can help students use self-management techniques. This early action can help the student defend against a severe asthma episode.