The back to school period is a busy time as parents and teachers prepare for the year ahead. Though in this flurry of activity, they are urged to stay vigilant about asthma.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data shows there is spike in hospital emergency department visits, due to asthma, in the three-and-a-half weeks after school returns. There is no definitive cause for these flare ups, though experts theorise it’s related to increased exposure to viruses and allergens that comes with going back to school.
“Back to school asthma is a phenomenon where at the time of going back to school after school holidays, children may be at increased risk of asthma symptoms,” explained Dr Paul Robinson, respiratory paediatrician at Sydney’s Westmead Children’s Hospital and health advisor to Asthma Australia. “The exact reasoning for this is not fully understood, but probably relates to a number of factors, such as re-exposure to triggers that they haven’t been seeing as much of during the holiday period, such as viral illnesses, or environmental allergens [which] may be reintroduced into the school classroom by children when they come back from break.”
In light of this, Asthma Australia urges teachers and parents to be prepared for possible asthma attacks. A survey of 300 parents of children with asthma has 74 per cent of parents saying their child experienced two or more asthma flare-ups at school each year. Despite this, the survey found that only 58 per cent of the parents talk to their school about their child’s asthma.
The survey also found that just over one-fifth of parents were not providing their child’s school with spare reliever medication nor an asthma action plan.
“Schools must have the tools and information to manage asthma at school,” said Michele Goldman, Asthma Australia chief executive. “Providing a spare reliever puffer and spacer along with an asthma action plan for a child is essential.”
Maria Fong has nine-year-old son, Luca, who has asthma. Fong said getting an asthma action plan for Luca, and giving it to her son’s school, gave her peace of mind.
“Luca’s teacher contacted us as part of an asthma audit and that prompted me to go to the GP and get an asthma action plan for Luca,” Fong said. “We’ve learned a lot about asthma as a result. We feel much better sending him off to school and camp knowing that they have his reliever medication and his plan and they know what to do.”
Robinson, meanwhile, said the best way to reduce the risk of asthma attacks is to maintain good asthma control. By this Robinson means that children who are prescribed regular asthma preventer medications, take these medications as intended on a daily basis, even on days when asthma symptoms aren’t occurring.
“Some of the most common misconceptions we hear would include one such as, ‘Asthma medications are only required when you have symptoms,’ and families, and children, not understanding the value of taking their regular prevention medication on a daily basis,” Robinson said. “The other common misconception is the belief that children can use an inhaler without the use of a spacer. The use of a spacer has a significant benefit in delivering the medication the child needs into the lungs. Most children, when they try and use an inhaler on its own, do not have good enough technique to deliver the medication properly.”
Asthma Australia also surveyed 170 school staff. Of the teachers surveyed, 79 per cent said they had at least one child with asthma in their class and 38 per cent said they had four or more. Furthermore, 41 per cent said they dealt with asthma flare ups, amongst their students, more than twice a year.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics shows 11 per cent of Australians are affected by asthma.
Anyone seeking more information should visit the Asthma Australia website at www.asthmaaustralia.org.au, or call the helpline on 1800 278 462 (1800 ASTHMA).