What a teacher should know about your child's asthma?

Hello all,

I am a student teacher who will be graduating soon and I am concerned about what parents want and need from their child's teacher when it comes to issues such as asthma and other medical conditions. Any and all suggestions of what to do and not to do would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Thank you so much for the link. A peanut allergy is something that I am very familiar with as my wife suffers from this. It is surprising where peanut oil is used and how many facilities use shared equipment for processing peanuts and other foods, just the equipment poses a hazard.

As a retired pediatric nurse, I'd suggest the best source for learning about your children is from their parents. Most (not all) parents are the best experts about their children.

Also, if your school district has one of those ridiculous "no tolerance" rules that doesn't allow asthmatic children to carry their own inhalers, please work to get it changed. There are times when a child doesn't have time to get to the nurses office to get their inhaler, and it could be a life/death issue for a severe asthmatic.

Hopfully teachers listen now days.They didn't years ago & would refuse to let you use your medication........The kids know when they really need it.....

Chartreux,

Thanks for the post. Not every student will have special needs, but for the few that do, it should be the teacher's #1 goal to make sure each student is safe and in a healthy environment, next comes the education. Without the safe environment the education doesn't mean a thing. I can see how school parties would need to be monitored. I plan on meeting with each one of my student's families to discuss any needs that need to be addressed to make sure that everyone has a safe, healthy place to learn.

Hi!

I am an 'old' nurse/teacher, (my students are 11th/12th graders), and retiring in June. Regardless of allergy, what is vital is to know before something happens, is what to do when it does. In our school, the kids carry their own epipen or inhalers. If it is a condition that must be shared with the other kids and parents, then they can be part of the plan of what to do. I would talk to the parents, ask them what their ideal handling of their childs situation would be, write a lesson plan about the disease, an age appropriate explanation, maybe find a book, or dvd, or internet site to show the class, and then teach and practice what everyone would do in an emergency to help "Sam". Even the littlest can practice "sitting in their seat as quiet as a mouse". If it is a food allergy, involve the kids in fun nutrition, construct a menu with what Sam can eat, rather than what she can't, as you explain what will happen if she eats what she shouldn't. Kids always want to know the consequences.... [img]/community/emoticons/tongue.gif[/img] It's important to talk about the scary parts, like EMS or an ambulance, and role assignments, like, who will go to the office, or call 911. And about teasing, or mockery, or bullying. God Bless you in your profession, and thanks for caring enough to ask,

hugs, suetoo