Building asthma awareness in nurseries and schools

Deborah Waddell - Clinical Lead

March 2014

Asthma UK

We provide:-

• Advice for everyone coping with an asthma diagnosis

• Support to keep people with asthma out of hospital

• Research to find better treatments, and ultimately a cure

• Influence so everyone with asthma gets the care they deserve

The impact of asthma

• There are over 5 million people in the UK with

asthma

• Around 1.1 million of those are children

• Around two in every classroom

• Asthma affects one in five households

• In 2010, 1,143 died because of their asthma

The challenges

• Many people know somebody with asthma but

few know that asthma can and does kill

• It’s ONLY asthma!

How do children with asthma feel?

In 2005 Blue Peter conducted a survey of children

with asthma:-

• 42% said their asthma made them feel frustrated

• 30% said their asthma made them feel afraid

• 27% said their asthma made them feel sad

• 20% said their asthma made them feel

embarrassed

• 14% said their asthma made them feel lonely

Can asthma affect achievement?

• 24% of children had missed six or more school

days in the past year because of their asthma

• 19% of people with asthma tell us that their

asthma has held them back academically

What is an Asthma Friendly School?

• A school where the School Nurse supports the

school to be asthma friendly

• A school where there’s an opportunity for the

school nurse to observe trends in asthma and

be proactive and innovative

• A school where there’s an integrated, holistic

approach to asthma care

What is an Asthma Friendly School?

• A school where staff are confident in

recognising signs of an asthma attack and

know what to do

• A school where staff are able to recognise the

signs of poorly controlled asthma and know

how to advise/signpost

What is an Asthma Friendly School?

• A school that has a School Asthma Policy

• A school that understands the needs of

children with asthma and their parents and

can support them.

What is an Asthma Friendly School?

• A school where children, parents and staff feel

safe

• A school where everyone understands that

children with asthma aren’t different and can

take part in all activities

• A school where children with asthma know

they can learn and achieve

What is an Asthma Friendly School?

• A school where there’s a School Asthma Policy

• A School Asthma Register

• Asthma training for all staff

• Immediate access to emergency relief inhalers

• Good home/school communication

• A raised awareness of asthma across the whole

school community

How can Asthma UK help you?

• Asthma UK Helpline

• Healthcare Professional Community with

microsite

• Asthma UK website

• Award-winning resources

• Schools programme

• Education for Health

Award winning resources

What’s new?

• The Children and Families Bill

• Changes to statutory guidance on supporting

children with medical conditions

• ‘Inhalers in Schools’

An evolving landscape

Together we can achieve…

An Asthma Friendly

World!

Contact us

Visit our website www.asthma.org.uk

Asthma UK Helpline 0800121 62 44