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Promote access to high quality and effective asthma care
Step 1.
What should parents/guardians expect from high-quality and effective asthma care? What's their role?
Recommended action: Teach parents/guardians about the standards of high quality and effective asthma care so they can advocate for their children. Give parents/guardians the Expectations for Standards of Care checklist (F-1) and develop plans to address deficiencies in the goals of therapy or care provided by physicians.
Recommended action: Provide clear instructions to parents/guardians about what they need to be responsible for to support their child with asthma and keep them safe at school. Managing Asthma at School - Parents Take First Step (F-2) is a checklist of actions for parents to help school nurses, teachers and other school personnel deal with a asthma or allergies. Give parents/guardians the Stay Home or Go to School? handout to guide them through the difficult decision about deciding if a child with asthma is okay to go to school.
What should parents/guardians expect from high-quality and effective asthma care? What's their role?
Recommended action: Teach parents/guardians about the standards of high quality and effective asthma care so they can advocate for their children. Give parents/guardians the Expectations for Standards of Care checklist (F-1) and develop plans to address deficiencies in the goals of therapy or care provided by physicians.
Recommended action: Provide clear instructions to parents/guardians about what they need to be responsible for to support their child with asthma and keep them safe at school. Managing Asthma at School - Parents Take First Step (F-2) is a checklist of actions for parents to help school nurses, teachers and other school personnel deal with a asthma or allergies. Give parents/guardians the Stay Home or Go to School? handout to guide them through the difficult decision about deciding if a child with asthma is okay to go to school.
Prepare families for an asthma episode
Step 2.
What are the warning signs of an asthma episode? Asthma episodes rarely occur without warning. Most people have warning signs (physical changes) that occur hours before symptoms of an asthma episode appear. Warning signs are not the same for everyone.
Recommended action: Ask parents/guardians to complete the Warning Signs of an Asthma Episode (F-3) to increase awareness about warning signs that occur hours before symptoms of an asthma episode appear.
Recommended action: Administer the Impact Asthma's Asthma Assessment Program (E-1), an interactive multi-media program and form that guides parents and students (ages 5-11) through the most common symptoms of asthma.
Step 3.
What are the best ways to manage an asthma episode?
Recommended action: Lead parents/guardians through the Summary of Steps to Managing an Asthma Episode (F-5) in one-on-one or group sessions.
What are the warning signs of an asthma episode? Asthma episodes rarely occur without warning. Most people have warning signs (physical changes) that occur hours before symptoms of an asthma episode appear. Warning signs are not the same for everyone.
Recommended action: Ask parents/guardians to complete the Warning Signs of an Asthma Episode (F-3) to increase awareness about warning signs that occur hours before symptoms of an asthma episode appear.
Recommended action: Administer the Impact Asthma's Asthma Assessment Program (E-1), an interactive multi-media program and form that guides parents and students (ages 5-11) through the most common symptoms of asthma.
Step 3.
What are the best ways to manage an asthma episode?
Recommended action: Lead parents/guardians through the Summary of Steps to Managing an Asthma Episode (F-5) in one-on-one or group sessions.
Encourage an asthma-friendly environment at home
Step 4.
What are the best tips for creating an asthma-friendly home?
Recommended action: Talk with parents/guardians about common triggers at home. The triggers are described in the one-page handout Maintaining an Asthma-Friendly Home (F-6). Information contained in How Asthma-Friendly Is Your School? (F-9) can be adapted for a discussion about the home setting.
What are the best tips for creating an asthma-friendly home?
Recommended action: Talk with parents/guardians about common triggers at home. The triggers are described in the one-page handout Maintaining an Asthma-Friendly Home (F-6). Information contained in How Asthma-Friendly Is Your School? (F-9) can be adapted for a discussion about the home setting.
Equip students with tools and skills to monitor lung function
Step 5.
When and why should peak flow monitoring be used? Peak expiratory flow (PEF) provides a simple way of measuring breathing ability. It is reproducible, demonstrating the severity of air flow obstruction (severity of asthma attack). PEF can be measured with hand-held devices called peak flow meters. Peak flow meters are designed to monitor, not diagnose asthma.
Recommended action: Talk with parents/guardians and student about how they are using peak flow monitoring as part of a care management plan. The one-page document Asthma Self Maintenance Peak Flow Monitoring Information for Parents (F-8) provides an overview of what PEF measurement is, why it is done, and how to use the results. A peak flow monitoring diary is available here.
When and why should peak flow monitoring be used? Peak expiratory flow (PEF) provides a simple way of measuring breathing ability. It is reproducible, demonstrating the severity of air flow obstruction (severity of asthma attack). PEF can be measured with hand-held devices called peak flow meters. Peak flow meters are designed to monitor, not diagnose asthma.
Recommended action: Talk with parents/guardians and student about how they are using peak flow monitoring as part of a care management plan. The one-page document Asthma Self Maintenance Peak Flow Monitoring Information for Parents (F-8) provides an overview of what PEF measurement is, why it is done, and how to use the results. A peak flow monitoring diary is available here.
