Prepare Your Child for Peak Asthma Season

If you have a child with asthma, now is the time to revisit their asthma action plan so you are prepared for the annual increase in asthma attacks that occurs each year as kids return to the classroom.

A dramatic rise in the number of asthma flare-ups occurs each year from late August through the end of September, according to a review of public health records by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.

“The annual spike is caused, in part, by kids being exposed to more germs once they return to school,” says physician Lisa Y. Harris, senior vice president and chief medical officer at Excellus

BCBS. “It’s also the peak time of year for mold and pollen, which can trigger airway inflammation that can launch an asthma attack.”

Harris, who is boardcertified in internal medicine and pediatrics, advises parents to use the final weeks of summer to make sure that prescribed asthma control medications are being used as directed, and that a doctor’s note is on file with the child’s school so that a supply of those medications can be kept there in case of an emergency.

Parents should also use these last few weeks of summer to consult with their health care provider to develop or update their child’s asthma action plan. This is a writ-

There’s no doubt that the role of school nurse is a vitally important one.

We surveyed several schools in the Mohawk Valley and are pleased to report they’re doing exceptionally well in meeting the requirements that each school have a school nurse.

“We’re adequately staffed with school nurses for this school year,” said Joseph Palmer, superintendent, Frankfort-Schuyler Central School District.

“Was it difficult to get there? Yes, it was difficult,” he continued. “This is my fourth year as superintendent. When I started, we had only one nurse in the district. I had to be creative to recruit. Now we have an LPN and RN in each school.”

“The nurses are so valuable as we have many medically fragile students; the nurses care for these students,” he added. “They became a vital part of our school system at the height of the pandemic — they kept our schools running.”

“School nurses are essential, not only for medical needs but they meet a lot of demands. Students need a safe place to talk when something isn’t right in their life; many are going through difficult things,” he said.

“Yes, we are fully staffed with school nurses, and we’ve also been able to secure substitute nurses as well,” said Kathleen Carney, superintendent, Herkimer Central School District.

“In Rome, we’ve been fortunate that we’ve maintained a full staff of nurses,” said Blake. “In many buildings we have more than one nurse which makes it easier to keep buildings open if there’s a nurse out for some reason. We also employ ‘float nurses’ who can cover a building if there’s a need.”

“However, I know that while most places are able to find full-time staff to work the schools, finding substitutes has become increasingly challenging,” he continued. “Beyond the fact that a school can’t be open without a nurse, the expertise they bring to the table for students with disabilities and unique medical needs cannot be overlooked. Every day our nurses are vital to ensure that students who need their support are able to attend school without the worry that, if something goes wrong medically, there will not be a quick and appropriate response. They have for years and will continue to for years, support students and schools.”

“All of our schools are staffed with a full-time RN,” said Matthew Carpenter, superintendent, Oneida City School District. “Additionally, we have an LPN who supports across the district.”

“Our nurses are often the first line of communication with our families,” he said. “They’re adept at sharing information regarding student health, immunization requirements and day-to-day issues pertaining to individual students. We’ve got an experienced and dedicated group of nurses in our district.”

• Check with your health care provider to make sure that prescribed asthma medications are up to date and working, and that permissions are in place for their use at school, if needed.

• Make sure your child takes all asthma medications as directed.

• Alert all adults at school and elsewhere who work with your child to recognize the signs of an asthma attack.

• Empower your child to notice and report asthma triggers and signs of a pending attack.

ten plan that details a child’s daily asthma treatment including which medicines to take and when, and the child’s specific attack triggers. The action plan also explains how to identify when the child’s asthma symptoms are severe enough to contact the provider, or to take the child to urgent care or a hospital emergency room.

“All adults and schools or other sites that care for a child with asthma should have a copy of the asthma action plan and understand their responsibilities regarding the child’s care,” says Harris.

• Prevent the spread of germs by encouraging proper handwashing, social distancing, and making sure that every family member is current on all recommended vaccinations, including the annual flu shot.

Visit www.health.ny.gov/ publications/4850.pdf for a free New York state asthma action plan template.

Submitted by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield