A sthma

1. Asthma In the classroom

2. Asthma is a serious disease affecting our children. It is one of the most chronic serious diseases affecting our children and adolescents. • About 9 million children under the age of 18 suffer from asthma. • 50 to 80% of children with asthma develop the symptoms before the age of 5. • A child with asthma misses school three times more than an average non-asthmatic child. • “In an average classroom , one or two children are likely to have asthma(Majer& Joy, 1993).” Asthma is serious

3. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology: “Asthma occurs when the main air passages of the lungs, the bronchial tubes, become inflamed. The muscles of the bronchial walls tighten and extra mucus is produced, causing the airways to narrow. The result could range from a frequent tendency for a cough to wheezing to severe difficulty in breathing. In some cases, breathing may be so labored, that an asthma attack becomes life-threatening.” (http://www.aaaai.org/patients/topicofthemonth/1105/) What is Asthma?

4. Asthma Here you can get a better look at how the bronchial tubes differ from a normal one to an inflamed one of a person with asthma; and how much more difficult it would be for an asthmatic person to breath.

5. Viral upper respiratory infections • Exercise • Stress and strong emotions • Lung infections, such as bronchitis • Changes in the weather • Exposure to environmental irritants and allergens, including: • chalk dust • dust mites • Pets • tobacco smoke • strong smells • wood smoke • chemical smells • cockroach droppings • Pollen • Perfumes • paint fumes Common triggers

6. Common triggers

7. Wheezing • Difficulty breathing • Persistent cough • Chest tightness • Sneezing • Dark circles under the eyes • Clipped speech • Irritation of the nose and throat, thirst, and the need to urinate also are common antecedents to an asthma attack. • At the end of an attack there is usually a cough with a thick mucus. Signs of an asthmatic episode

8. Asthma has not been found to have a negative effect on academic performance but there are other aspects of it that can affect. The medicine that some children have to take to control asthma can have side effects that can interfere with the child’s concentration, increase feelings of depression and anxiety, and interfere with short term memory (Bender,1995). The psychosocial effects of asthma can include: • Isolation from peers • Fewer opportunities or less motivation for physical activity • Lowered expectations from self, educators, and family Its effect on the classroom

9. The first thing a teacher needs to do is know if there are any children diagnosed with asthma in their classroom. • Meet with the parents and discuss the triggers of asthma in their child since all asthmatic people are not the same. • Learn about the medication they are taking and its side effects. • Keep the classroom and the classroom environment clean since most of asthma is caused by allergies. • Minimize strong smells in the room like perfume and chemical spays. • Teachers need to know the early signs of an asthma attack. • Stay calm if a child is having an asthma attack and take the child to relax in a quiet room. • Have an asthma action plan. What teachers can do

10. Be familiar with the symptoms of the child’s reaction. • Keep children’s emergency information located where it is readily accessible; make sure others know where to find it. • Post emergency telephone numbers next to the telephone. • Know where emergency medications are stored and know how to administer them. • Review you program’s emergency policies and procedures. • Monitor all foods or other source of allergens that are brought to the classroom. • Have the family review and update information about the child’s condition periodically. (Health, Safety, and Nutrition for the Young Child.Marotz, Lynn R. ) Teacher’s checklist

11. Works Cited • "AAAAI - Patients & Consumers Center: November 2005: Keys to Managing Childhood Asthma." AAAAI - American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology - Www.aaaai.org. Web. 25 Jan. 2011. <http://www.aaaai.org/patients/topicofthemonth/1105/>. • Hamm, Ellen M. "Managing Asthma in the Classroom - Page 3 | Childhood Education." Find Articles at BNET | News Articles, Magazine Back Issues & Reference Articles on All Topics. Web. 25 Jan. 2011. <http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3614/is_200410/ai_n9456080/pg_3/?tag=content;col1>. • Marotz, Lynn R. "Conditions Affecting Children's Health." Health, Safety, and Nutrition for the Young Child. Australia: Thomson Delmar Learning, 2009. 104-07. Print. Works Cited