School Children & Asthma in Atlanta, Georgia

Coping with Asthma Symptoms to Ensure Academic Success

Parents of school children with asthma have many concerns about how to help their children cope with symptoms in schools. Since school is the work of childhood, teachers in the schools of Atlanta are often the most available resource that parents have to learn about their children’s needs and possible difficulties they face from asthma-related issues. School children potentially face the following problems due to asthma complications:

• Increased absences
• Hesitancy to become involved in activities or sports
• Embarrassment about taking asthma medications
• Experiencing side-effects from medications

However, teachers and parents in Atlanta can communicate and form effective plans to help children cope with asthma and excel at school.

Dealing with Asthma in School – Always Be Prepared!

Moms and dads of kids with asthma quickly learn that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. For kids with asthma, prevention means being prepared for an unexpected attack,as well as educating teachers, nurses, coaches and other school personnel about preventative medications and steps to take in the event of an attack. Factors to consider when forming a school coping plan for asthma should include:

• Informing the school about a child’s asthma, severity, medications to treat an attack as well as how to deal with an emergency
• Working with a pediatrician to formulate a treatment plan for the school to follow
• Completing a medication permission form to allow a child access to their inhaler
• Signing a release form to allow communication about a child’s medical care between family, the school and the child’s pediatrician

Communication is Key

Maintaining an open dialogue between schools and family is vital to ensuring a child’s health, comfort and academic success. This includes the school informing a parent about:

• Changes in symptoms during school
• Working to create a healthful classroom environment
• Encouraging children to discuss any concerns
• Developing asthma awareness for children, staff and families

School Children, Asthma and the Right to Treatment and Reasonable Accommodations

It is important to a child’s health and well-being to have access to medications, asthma assessments and reasonable classroom accommodations over the course of their academic career. In fact, it is a child’s right under federal law to have access to such accommodations and treatments. Children and their families are protected under the following legislation:

• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
• Section 504 of the Civil Rights Act 1973

A child’s family is justified in ensuring that their child has access to medicine and treatment, as well as asking the school to take measures to ensure healthful air quality and reducing possible sources of pollution. Children with asthma in Atlanta can fully enjoy school and extra-curricular activities with the cooperative work of their families and school systems.