Creating Asthma Friendly Schools in Montana

1. Your Name Your Affiliation Creating Asthma Friendly Schools in Montana A Presentation to School Staff

2. What is Asthma? • Asthma is a chronic lung disease that causes episodes of: • Coughing • Shortness of breath • Wheezing • Chest tightness

3. Anatomy of the Airways

4. The Airways in an Asthma Attack

5. Asthma in Montana Youth • Asthma is a common disease among Montana students • 8% of Montana children (5-17 years) report currently having asthma • An estimated 10,500 Montana children ages have asthma • Asthma affects school attendance and performance • With planning, asthma can be managed in the school setting

6. Is Asthma a Serious Health Concern at Our School? • Electronic survey e-mailed to K-12 public school administrators in Montana • 193 Responses

7. Allow students easy access to their inhalers Create a school wide protocol for handling an asthma episode Identify and reduce common asthma triggers Enable students with asthma to participate in activities Educate staff parents and students about asthma Collaborate with families, students, staff and health providers Seven Steps to Creating an Asthma Friendly School Identify students with asthma

8. Step 1: Identify students with asthma • Every school needs a process to: • Annually identify all students with asthma • Obtain the proper paperwork to facilitate their care at school • Communicate this information with the appropriate staff

9. Authorization to Possess or Self-Administer Asthma Medication

10. Asthma Action Plan

11. How is Our School Doing? • Add information here specific to your school • Information • Information • Information • Information

12. Inhalers need to be easily accessible for students who need them, when they need them • This would include: in the classroom, recess, field trips, sporting events, etc. • Students need quick access to medications in order to prevent their symptoms from worsening Step 2: Allow students easy access to their inhalers

13. Overview of Asthma Medications (pg 25) • CONTROLLER MEDICATIONS • Taken to PREVENT symptoms • Reduce swelling • Taken daily, usually at home

14. Overview of Asthma Medications (pg 25) • RESCUE MEDICATIONS • Taken in RESPONSE to symptoms • Used during an attack • All children with asthma need access to these medications

15. Step 2: Allow students easy access to their inhalers • Montana law allows students to self-carry their rescue asthma inhaler and severe allergy medication at school • The law also provides for the storage of backup medication at school • For students who do not self carry their asthma medication, it is still vital that they have access to their rescue medication at all times, including off campus sporting events and field trips

16. How is Our School Doing? • Add information here specific to your school • Information • Information • Information • Information

17. Step 3: Create a school wide protocol for handling worsening asthma • In an emergency situation, time is of the essence • All staff need to know what to do if a student with asthma begins to have an attack

18. School Wide Protocol

19. Using the Inhaler and Spacer (pg 26) 1. Stand or sit up straight 2. Shake the inhaler 3. Put the inhaler in the spacer 4. Put your lips around the spacer mouthpiece and exhale through your nose 5. Press the inhaler and take a deep, slow breath in (for five seconds) 6. Hold breath for 10 sec 7. Exhale 8. Wait one to three minutes before administering a second puff

20. How is Our School Doing? • Add information here specific to you school • Information • Information • Information • Information

21. A word about anaphylaxis (pg 28-30) • Overlap between asthma and allergy • Symptoms of anaphylaxis • If anaphylaxis is suspected, immediately call 911! • Using an EpiPen (or Twinject) (pp. 28, 30)

22. Step 4: Identify and reduce common asthma triggers

23. What are common asthma triggers?

24. Step 4: Identify and reduce common asthma triggers • Asthma triggers in the school environment can exacerbate a child’s asthma • Simple steps can be taken to reduce common triggers (page 14) • School policies such as the elimination of school bus idling, creating a comprehensive tobacco free school, and practicing integrated pest management can reduce asthma triggers

25. How is Our School Doing? • Add information here specific to your school • Information • Information • Information • Information

26. Step 5: Enable students with asthma to participate in school activities

27. Exercise-Induced Asthma • Around 90% of people with asthma have their symptoms worsened by exercise • The symptoms are the same as with all asthma attacks • Symptoms may begin during exercise and can be worse five to ten minutes after exercise • Symptoms can spontaneously resolve 20-60 minutes after starting, but may persist for a longer time period

28. Step 5: Enable students with asthma to participate in school activities • Students with well-controlled asthma should be able to participate fully in school activities • As necessary, modify activities for children with asthma symptoms • Allow students to pre-treat their asthma with quick-relief medications several minutes before exercising • Educate coaches about asthma and its relationship to exercise: www.winningwithasthma.org

29. How is Our School Doing? • Add information here specific to your school • Information • Information • Information • Information

30. Step 6: Provide education to personnel, parents and students • Asthma is a common disease and affects children in virtually every school in Montana • Few teachers have received recent training on asthma, and many want additional education • The resource guide contains information on asthma education resources for: • Students • School staff • Parents (pg 18)

31. Additional Educational Material • Available at www.health.state.mn.us/asthma/documents/schoolmanual.pdf

32. How is Our School Doing? • Add information here specific to your school • Information • Information • Information • Information

33. Step #7: Collaborate with families, students, staff and health care providers • Responsibility for creating an asthma friendly school is not the responsibility of just one person or group • Controlling asthma in the school setting requires collaboration and cooperation between all affected parties • There are roles and responsibilities in creating asthma friendly schools for: • Administrators School boards • Teachers School nurses • Office staff Maintenance staff • Bus drivers Healthcare providers • Parents Students • (pp. 20-24)

34. How is Our School Doing? • Add information here specific to your school • Information • Information • Information • Information

35. Summary • Asthma causes narrowed airways by: • Inflammation; and • Muscle contraction • The two types of asthma medications are: • Controller medications • Rescue medications • With proper authorization, students are allowed to self-carry their own asthma medication by Montana state law • Asthma triggers can cause students to experience asthma attacks • Common triggers at school include: school bus exhaust, animal dander, and strong cleaning products

36. Your Name Montana Asthma Control Program Your Contact Information William Biskupiak wbiskupiak@mt.gov 406-444-0995 • Thank you for your time! • Questions? • Post-class assessment