Policy 5141.25 - Asthma

Asthma Management

The Board of Education desires to provide support systems for students with asthma in order to reduce school absences, help ensure that such students receive appropriate intervention if symptoms occur at school, and enable them to participate in the educational program and school activities to the extent possible.

The Superintendent or designee shall involve school nurses, other health professionals, school administrators, and health educators in the development of strategies to help provide a healthy and safe school environment for students with asthma. He/she may also involve school health councils or committees and other interested persons to ensure that the district's strategies are coordinated with other school health programs and practices.

District strategies shall include, but not be limited to, procedures for identifying and addressing individual student needs, providing effective professional development on asthma symptoms and staff responsibilities, and identifying and reducing environmental factors at schools that may trigger and/or worsen asthma symptoms.

Rule 5141.25

Last Revised 02/16/2010

Identification of Students with Asthma

When registering their child for school, any time during the course of the school year, and annually thereafter, parents/guardians of all students shall be requested to notify the principal or designee, in writing, if their child has been diagnosed with asthma, has recently experienced symptoms or has a history of asthma, and/or is at risk for severe asthma attacks.

The Superintendent or designee shall keep a student’s medical information in a secure location and maintain the confidentiality of student health records in accordance with law governing student records. Pertinent information from the health record shall be released to other employees whose responsibilities require that they have access to such information in order to provide support services or to respond to an emergency, such as a school nurse, a student’s teacher(s), coach(es), bus driver, and any other staff with responsibility for direct supervision of the student.

Plan for Individualized Asthma Management

The Superintendent or designee shall request the parents/guardians of each student identified with asthma to annually submit an asthma action plan developed by the student's health care provider in partnership with the student and his/her parents/guardians. The action plan shall include, but not be limited to, information regarding the student's symptoms and severity, asthma triggers, medications needed by the student, and authorization for disclosure of health information to the district. Parents/guardians shall submit an updated plan each school year or whenever there are changes in the student’s health condition or treatment. For students identified as disabled pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, necessary accommodations and services shall be identified as part of the student's 504 accommodation plan or individualized education program (IEP), as appropriate.

Any student who needs to take prescribed medication during the school day may be assisted by a school nurse or designated school personnel or allowed to carry and self-administer inhaled asthma medication provided that the district receives written statements from the student's physician and parent/guardian in accordance with Education Code 49423.1 and BP/AR 5141.21 - Administering Medication and Monitoring Health Conditions.

Parents/Guardians shall be requested to provide quick relief medication to be administered in accordance with the student’s asthma action plan.

Students shall be encouraged to notify their teacher, coach, or other staff when they are experiencing symptoms and/or need to alter their physical activity level. A student experiencing symptoms shall be encouraged to use his/her quick relief medication. The student shall be supervised on school grounds by a responsible adult until he/she is no longer experiencing symptoms and/or his/her parent/guardian has been contacted.

Emergency Response

In case of emergency, staff shall call 911 and assist the student in the administration of quick-relief medication as authorized in the student's asthma action plan, Section 504 services plan, or IEP. Staff shall contact the student’s parent/guardian or other person identified as an emergency contact and shall supervise the student until his/her care has been assumed by a health professional, parent/guardian, or designated emergency contact.

Professional Development

Asthma management and support systems shall be coordinated by a school nurse, other qualified health professional, or educator who has received appropriate training. Staff shall be provided professional development which includes information about symptoms and common triggers of asthma, ways to reduce acute symptoms, and emergency response procedures. The professional development shall be provided by an outside consultant or organization, a school nurse, or other qualified health professional, or educator who has received related training.

The Superintendent or designee shall provide each school site with information regarding emergency management of asthma to post in easily accessible locations.

A school nurse or other qualified personnel may provide education to students with asthma using approved curriculum. Upon request by the student or his/her parents/guardians, the Superintendent or designee may provide information about available medical resources, including school-based health services as appropriate.

Environmental Assessment

The Superintendent or designee shall periodically conduct an environmental assessment to identify and reduce common asthma triggers in the school environment, including, but not limited to, pesticides, chemical pollutants, mold, and animal and dust mite allergens. The Superintendent or designee shall communicate with each school principal when local health advisories are issued for high ozone days or poor outdoor air quality so that outdoor physical activities may be curtailed as necessary