Teachers can be great allies in keeping your child with asthma safe and successful in school, but you'll need to make sure they have all the knowledge they need to help. Use these suggestions to create a information packet to bring educators up to speed.
Five Things Teachers Need to Know
1. My child may need emergency assistance. Please review her Asthma Action Plan and consult with the school nurse so you can be ready to help.
2. My child may have frequent absences due to his condition. Please let me know how to help him keep up with classwork and homework.
3. It's okay to let my child's classmates know about her condition as long as it's done appropriately. I'd be happy to help prepare a program.
4. My child has a serious health condition, but he is still a child with ordinary interests and hope and dreams. Please help us keep his life as normal as possible.
5. Please keep the lines of communication open between our home and the school. My child needs all the adults in her life working together.
Printouts to Share with Teachers
Asthma: What the Teacher Should Know
Source: British Columbia Ministry of Education
Managing Asthma: A Guide for Schools
Source: National Asthma Education and Prevention Program
Physical Education Fact Sheet: Asthma
Source: Tahperd
Asthma and Physical Activity in the School
Source: Free Breather
Asthma at School
Source: The Lung Association
