|
Recognizing
Symptoms and Taking Appropriate Action
Recognizing asthma symptoms and taking appropriate action
in response to the symptoms is crucial to asthma treatment
and control.
Symptoms
That Require Prompt Action
Acute symptoms require prompt action to help students
resume their activities as soon as possible. Prompt action
is also required to prevent an episode from becoming more
serious or even life threatening. Table
3 lists the symptoms that indicate an acute asthma
episode and the need for immediate action. The student's
asthma plan and the school's emergency plan should be
easily accessible so that all staff, substitutes, volunteers,
and aides know what to do.
Table
3. Acute Symptoms Requiring Prompt Action
- Coughing
or wheezing
- Difficulty
in breathing
- Chest
tightness or pressure--reported by the student
- Other
signs, such as low peak flow readings as indicated
on the asthma management plan.
|
Symptoms of exercise-induced asthma (coughing, wheezing,
pain or chest tightness) may last several minutes to an
hour or more. These symptoms are quite different from
breathlessness (deep, rapid breathing) that quickly returns
to normal after aerobic exercise.
|
Actions
To Take
|
-
Stop the student's current
activity.
-
Follow the student's asthma management/action
plan.
-
Help the student use his or her inhaled medication.
-
Observe for effect.
- Get
Emergency Help
-
If the student fails to improve.
-
If any of the symptoms listed on the student's
asthma plan as emergency indicators are
present.
-
If any of the following symptoms are present
(consider calling 911):
- The student is hunched over, with shoulders
lifted, and straining to breathe.
-
The student has difficulty completing
a sentence without pausing for breath.
-
The student's lips or fingernails turn
blue.
|
Signs That
May Indicate Poorly Controlled Asthma
Students may
have symptoms that do not indicate an acute episode needing
immediate treatment, but instead indicate that their asthma
is not under complete control. Table 4
lists these signs.
The teachers
and coaches who supervise students' physical activities
are in a unique position to notice signs that a child
who struggles with physical activity might in fact have
asthma. Because exercise provokes symptoms in most children
with poorly controlled asthma, the student may need to
be evaluated by his or her health care provider. It may
also be that the student simply needs to follow his or
her asthma management plan more carefully.
Table
4. Signs That May Indicate Poorly Controlled
Asthma
-
A persistent cough
-
Coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, or shortness
of breath after vigorous physical activity,
on a recurring basis
-
Low level of stamina during physical activity
or reluctance to participate.
|
|
Actions
To Consider
|
-
Share observations of
the symptoms with the school nurse and the student's
parents or guardians. Helping students get the
medical attention they need is an important
way to help children become active and take
control of their condition.
-
Provide students convenient access to their
asthma medication.
|
Confusing
Signs: Is It an Asthma Episode or a Need for More Support?
At some times
teachers and coaches may wonder if a student's reported
symptoms indicate a desire for attention or a desire not
to participate in an activity. At other times it may seem
that students are overreacting to minimal symptoms.
It is always
essential to respect the student's report of his or her
own condition. If a student regularly asks to be excused
from recess or avoids physical activity, a real physical
problem may be present. It also may be that the student
needs more assistance and support from his or her teacher
and coach in order to become an active participant.
|
Actions
To Consider
|
-
Talk with the student
to:
-
learn his or her concerns about asthma and
activity.
-
offer reassurance that you understand the
importance of appropriate modifications
or activity limits.
-
develop a shared understanding about the
conditions that require activity modifications
or medications.
-
Consult with the school nurse, parent/guardian,
or health care provider to find ways to ensure
that the student is safe, feels safe, and is
encouraged to participate actively.
-
If the student uses a peak flow meter, remind
him or her to use it. This may help the student
appreciate his or her asthma status and appropriate
levels of activity.
|
|
.gif)
