Asthma is a long-term condition that causes narrowing of the airways, making breathing difficult. The narrowing is caused by swelling, tightening of muscles, and excess mucus in the airways. Asthma triggers like allergens, tobacco smoke, and chemicals can cause asthma episodes or worsen symptoms. Common symptoms are coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. Emergency symptoms are extreme breathing difficulty, lethargy, inability to speak, and loss of consciousness. Schools need asthma policies to support students, including creating task forces, raising awareness, controlling triggers, identifying asthmatic students, and having emergency response plans and kits.

2. KNOWING MORE ABOUT ASTHMA
ASTHMA IS A LONG-TERM CONDITION OF
AIRWAYS IN WHICH THEY BECOME NARROW
WHICH CAUSES RESISTANCE TO BREATHING.
• THE NARROWING OF AIRWAYS IS CAUSED BY:
o Swelling of inner lining of airways.
o Tightening of muscles around airways, which
reduces the width of airways.
o Excessive mucus production in the lining of
airways.
WHAT IS
ASTHMA?

3. Tightened
muscles
Swollen
lining
Excess
mucus
Relaxed
muscles
Normal
mucus
Normal
lining
ASTHMATIC
LUNGS
NORMAL
LUNGS
Look at the
difference
between
normal lungs
and asthmatic
lungs!

4. ASTHMA TRIGGERS:-
ASTHMA TRIGGERS ARE SUBSTANCES IN OUR
SURROUNDINGS THAT MAY START AN ASTHMA
EPISODE OR AGGRAVATE ASTHMA SYMPTOMS.
RISK FACTORS FOR DEVELOPING ASTHMA INCLUDE
INHALING ASTHMA “TRIGGERS”, SUCH AS
ALLERGENS (SOME COMMON TO ALL AND SOME
INDIVIDUALIZED), TOBACCO SMOKE AND
CHEMICAL IRRITANTS.
OTHER EXAMPLES OF ASTHMA TRIGGERS ARE

5. THE COMMON SYMPTOMS OF
ASTHMAARE:
o Coughing and breathing difficulty
o Wheezing and tightness of chest
o Easy tiredness
o Disturbed sleep
THE SYMPTOMS OF AN ASTHMA
EMERGENCY ARE:
o Extreme breathing difficulty
o Lethargy
o Unable to speak whole sentence in one go
o Blue lips and nails
o Losing consciousness
How do I
recognize
that I have
asthma?
How to
recognize an
asthma
emergency?

6. Medicines for asthma
RELIEVER MEDICINES
• Also called bronchodilators as they open
the airways.
• Used for immediate control of an asthma
attack.
• Provide immediate relief by relaxing the
tightened muscles.
• E.g. – Salbutamol
– Terbutaline
CONTROLLER MEDICINES
• Also called disease modifiers as they
prevent an asthma attack.
• Used for long term control of asthma.
• Reduce swelling and mucus production in
airways.
• E.g. – inhaled steroids
– inhaled long-acting
bronchodilators

7. Inhaler devices for asthma
METERED DOSE INHALER
(MDI)
• Medicine is in aerosol form
in the metallic chamber
• To be shaken and inhaled.
Should always be used with a
spacer
DRY POWDER INHALER
• Medicine is in form of
powder in capsules
• Capsule to be inserted,
broken and then inhaled.
Should be used by children
above 10 years of age
NEBULISER
• Medicine is in liquid
form in plastic containers
• The machine converts
the liquid into mist and it
is then inhaled through
mask.
Used in emergency to give
reliever medicines

8. Using Inhaler devices properly
 Metered Dose Inhalers: It is a metallic chamber filled with medicine in an aerosol form, on
presssing its top, a measured dose of the medicine is released.
 For proper effect, it is essential that its delivery of the dose is coordinated with taking a long deep
breath so that the medicine gets carried with the breath to lungs.The medicine is taken from the
inhaler through a spacer or holding chambers, to avoid deposition of medicine.
 Role of Spacer: It is a plastic chamber with a slot for inhaler at one end and mouthpiece for
breathing on the other.
 With the help of a spacer, the medicine first gets transferred from inhaler to the chamber of spacer and
then to the airways in the next 4-5 breaths. This ensures effective delivery of medicine into the
airways.
 Another thing called Dry Powder Inhalers are used as medicine in powder from in capsules. Capsule
is inserted in a device called dry powder inhaler which breakes the capsule. However they are only
used by chldren over 8-10 years of age due to high-breathing requirement.

9. Nebulizer for Asthma Emergency
A nebulizer is used during an acute attack of
asthma which is not relieved by the methods
metiones before.
Nebulizer in itself is a asthma medication.It is a
small device with a mechanical pump which
delivers air under pressure into a chamber with
liquid medicine.
This converts the liquid medicine into fine mist
which can be inhaled with normal breathing
through face mask.
This process usually takes 5-10 minutes for which
the mask should be on.
Nubelizer does not need any cooperation by the
child and ensures delivery of asthma medicine to
all parts of lungs, immediately relieving symptoms.
Nubelizer has an immediate effect after complete
inhalation of the medicine.

10. Child Asthma: In childhood asthma, the lungs and airways become easily inflamed when exposed to
certain triggers, such as inhaling pollen or catching a cold or other respiratory infection. Childhood
asthma can cause bothersome daily symptoms that interfere with play, sports, school and sleep.
 Causes of childhood asthma:-
 Inherited tendency to develop allergies.
 Some types of airways infections at a very
young age.
 Exposure to environmental factors, such as
cigarette smoke or other air polluton.
 Incrreased immune system sensitivity causes
the lings and airways to swell and produce
mucus when exposed to certain triggers.
Trigger can include- viral infections such as
common cold, allergies to dust and mist,
wether conditions or cold air.
 Prevention from Asthma triggers:-
 Limit exposure to asthma triggers.
 Avoid smoking around your child in order to avoid the
expposure to tobacco smoke.
 Encourage our child to be active, as regular physical
exercises are essential that helps lungs to work more
effeciently.
 Keep heatburn under cntrol and help your child
maintain a healthy weight.
 See the doctor when necessary, regular checkups are
important to be updated.

11. Asthma management plan
• SCHOOLS MUST HAVE AN ASTHMA POLICY BECAUSE ASTHMA IS NOW A
COMMON DISEASE AMONG CHILDREN.
• 5%-10% of school going children suffer
from asthma.
• If asthma is not controlled:
o It can retard the physical growth of
the child.
o It can make the child unable to keep
up with the peer group due to
absenteeism.
o Asthma attack in schools can be
severe and even life-threatening for
children.
Why should
my school be
concerned
about asthma?

12. ASTHMA
POLICY
Asthm
a task
force
Awarenes
s and
education
Environmen
t control
Identificati
on
Provisio
n of
Asthma
Kit
Emergenc
y response
plan

13. Creating an asthma task force
• EVERY SCHOOL MUST HAVE AN ASTHMA TASK FORCE TO COPE WITH ASTHMA IN
SCHOOLS.
 IT SHOULD CONSIST OF 4-5 TEACHERS/STAFF MEMBERS/SCHOOL’S DOCTOR WHO
HAVE A BASIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ASTHMA.
 THEY SHOULD BE PROPERLY TRAINED TO RESPOND TO AN ASTHMA EMERGENCY.
 THEY SHOULD HAVE DETAILS OF NEARBY HOSPITALS AND THEIR CONTACT
• ALL THE TEACHERS, STAFF MEMBERS, PARENTS AND STUDENTS MUST HAVE A
KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ASTHMA:
o How to recognise whether the child is asthmatic
o Asthma triggers of those children
o How to identify an asthma attack

14. • SCHOOLS MUST ADOPT A STRATEGY IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE EXPOSURE OF
STUDENTS TO THEIR TRIGGERS.
 Against infections – school premises should be clean and proper
hygiene should be maintained.
 Against smoke – no smoking policy to be followed in schools.
 Against dust mites – carpets/curtains should be cleaned regularly.
 Against pests – proper garbage disposal should be ensured.
• IDENTIFICATION OF ASTHMATIC CHILDREN
 Schools should identify and list all the children suffering from asthma
 There should be annual updating of this list and the respective class teachers should be
informed about these children.
 Class teachers should ensure that the child carries his/her medicines in bag and takes it
timely.
 School must encourage an Asthma Buddy (classmate) for the asthmatic child
 1-2 students should become buddy for an asthmatic student.
 They should be aware of his triggers and condition of health.

15. Kit
emergency