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The Asthma Crisis: Is Your District Prepared?

The Asthma Crisis: Is Your District Prepared?. Is There Really a Crisis? Yes!. The Asthma Initiative of MI (AIM) What is Asthma Why Should You Be Concerned The Role of the District Asthma Resources: Law, Policy, Answers

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The Asthma Crisis: Is Your District Prepared?

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  1. The Asthma Crisis: Is Your District Prepared?

  2. Is There Really a Crisis? Yes! • The Asthma Initiative of MI (AIM) • What is Asthma • Why Should You Be Concerned • The Role of the District • Asthma Resources: Law, Policy, Answers • A Message From the Wisconsin Association of School Administrators (WASDA)

  3. MAAC Steering Team • Chairs of the Quality Improvement, Schools, Epidemiology & Surveillance, Environmental Quality, and Consortium of Asthma Coalitions • AIM Staff • MAAC Subcommittees • Asthma Epidemiology & Surveillance • Asthma in Schools • Environmental Quality • Quality Improvement in Asthma Care • MAAC Project Teams • Initiated as needed by Steering team/Subcommittees • Asthma Coalition for Northeast MI • Asthma Coalition of Northwest MI • Asthma Network of West MI • Detroit Alliance for Asthma Awareness • Genesee Co. Childhood Asthma Task Force • Jackson Asthma Coalition • Kalamazoo Area Asthma Coalition • Mid-Michigan Asthma Coalition • Southwest MI Asthma Coalition • Tri-County Asthma Coalition • Washtenaw Asthma Coalition

  4. Why Should You Care? • Students with asthma can die • Even those who do not have life-threatening symptoms can have severe consequences from working so hard to breath • Students with poorly controlled asthma often feel tired, fearful, distracted, or unable to think • Many simply miss school because their parents aren’t confident that the school is a safe place for a child with asthma

  5. MI Superintendent Survey 2008Highlights • 11 Asthma & Policy Related Questions • 108 Respondents (Superintendents & School Bd Reps) • 39% have no district asthma policy • 18% adopted portion of MI Model Asthma Policy • 43% require a written Asthma Action Plan • 24% are unaware of the MDI Inhaler Law • 90% have a 24/7 Smoke Free Policy • 17% have offered smoking cessation programs in the past 12 months

  6. Survey Quotes…(when asked to share Asthma comments or stories) • “I have no idea. Too many things going on. Schools are becoming the repository for too many initiatives.” • 15 Years ago when I was an Assistant Superintendent, a freshman girl died on the first night of band camp in August…..I did not grasp the potential severity of asthma…I do now.”

  7. On barriers to advancing school wellness… “Finding time to insert wellness-related activities such as nutrition education and physical activity into the calendar is challenging. You can’t blame teachers and districts for wanting to spend more time on math and science.” ~ Howell Wechsler, MI Action for Healthy Kids

  8. Asthma is a Major Health Problemin the U.S. • 5 million school-aged children have asthma1 • Students miss almost 13 million school days each year due to asthma2 • Asthma is the 3rd-ranking cause of hospitalization among children under 153 1 Epidemiology and Statistics Unit. Trends in Asthma Morbidity and Mortality. NYC: ALA, July 2006. 2 CDC. Asthma Prevalence, Health Care Use and Mortality, 2003-2005. National Center for Health Statistics. Washington, DC. 3 Hall MJ & DeFrances CJ. 2001 National Hospital Discharge Survey. Advance data from Vital and Health Statistics, Table 3; no 332. Hyattsville, MD: NCHS,2003.

  9. One SchoolCoughed-Up $9 MILLION for Failing to Respond to Asthma One California school was sued to the tune of $9 million for its negligent response to asthma

  10. Asthma in Michigan • Asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism among all chronic diseases • Approximately 234,000 children under 18 years old currently have asthma • The average cost of an asthma hospitalization in Michigan is $10,025

  11. On urgency…. “If there were ever some loud sirens out there, they’re there now, when you begin to talk about the condition of our children and the rapid pace at which our health is declining.” ~ Gene Wilhoit, MI Action for Healthy Kids

  12. On average, 3 children in a classroom of 30 are likely to have asthma.4 4 Epidemiology and Statistics Unit. Trends in Asthma Morbidity and Mortality. NYC: ALA, July 2006.

  13. What is Asthma? A condition that: • is chronic • produces recurring episodes of breathing problems • is potentially life-threatening • can occur at any age • is not contagious • cannot be cured, but can be controlled

  14. What are the Symptoms of Asthma? • Shortness of breath • Wheezing • Tightness in the chest • Coughing • Waking at night with any of the above symptoms* * a key marker of uncontrolled asthma

  15. What Happens During an Episode of Asthma? • The lining of the airways become narrow and easily irritated due to inflammation • The airways produce a thick mucus • The muscles around the airways tighten and make airways narrower

  16. What Can Make Asthma Worse? Not all factors affect all people. It’s important to identify what affects a particular student’s asthma. • Exercise • Infections in the upper airways, such as colds • Changes in weather and temperature • Physical expressions of strong feelings (crying or laughing • hard, yelling)

  17. What Can Make Asthma Worse? Allergens such as: • Furred and feathered animals • Dust mites • Cockroaches • Pollens • from grass and • trees • Molds (indoors • and outdoors)

  18. What Can Make Asthma Worse? Irritants such as: • Environmental tobacco smoke • Scented • products • Strong fumes or • odors • Outdoor air • pollution

  19. How Does Asthma that is NOT Well-Controlled Impact Student Learning? • Fatigue – students up at night with coughing, wheezing and other symptoms are tired in the morning • Absenteeism related to asthma episodes, health care appointments, and hospitalizations • Missed class time dueto frequent school health office visits

  20. “Often parents do not understand the disease process, medications and best practice for treating asthma and/or go to doctors that do not prescribe preventative medication. Asthma education is needed in more than one arena.” ~Anonymous, Superintendent Asthma Survey

  21. How asthma-friendly is your school? • Do all students with asthma have written asthma action plans at school? • Is there a school nurse in your school all day, everyday? • Does someone teach school staff and all students about asthma?

  22. Asthma Management Plan (AMP)

  23. How asthma-friendly is your school?5 1. Is your school free of tobacco smoke? 2. May students carry their own asthma medicines? 3. Does your school have an emergency plan for kids with severe asthma episode? 5 National Asthma Education and Prevention Program. How Asthma-Friendly Is Your School?

  24. MDI Inhaler Law380.1179 Use of inhaler permitted; conditions; liability; extra inhaler; notice to classroom teachers; definitions. • A pupil of a public school or nonpublic school may possess and use an Inhaler or Epinefrin Auto-injector, on school-sponsored transportation, or at any activity, event, or program sponsored by or in which the pupil's school is participating, provided proper conditions are met.

  25. Supporting Your District Establish emergency plan for asthma episodes at school Ensure adequate student health records Encourage policies to allow students to carry and self-administer medications Ensure immediate access to medications during all school activities

  26. State Board of Education Model Asthma Policy

  27. Asthma Education For faculty and staff, provide annual professional development on: • Asthma basics & emergency response • What different staff can do to make their school asthma-friendly

  28. How asthma-friendly is your school? • Can students with asthma fully participate in physical activities? • Do they have immediate access to their quick-relief medicine before exercise if appropriate? • Can they modify their activities if necessary? • Does your school maintain good indoor air quality? e.g., reduce or eliminate things that may cause asthma symptoms

  29. Completing HSAT • Process Driven by Coordinated School Health Teams • Identify Strengths • Identify Challenges • Develop an Action Plan • Make Policy and Environmental Changes • Everything completed and stored online

  30. The HSAT Homepage www.mihealthtools.org/hsat

  31. The HSAT Process

  32. HSAT Asthma Mini-grant Opportunity Could your school use $1000 to be prepared for an asthma crisis??

  33. Local Resources: • Asthma Initiative of Michigan www.GetAsthmaHelp.org • HSAT Resources Page http://www.mihealthtools.org/hsat/default.asp?tab=resourceguide#am • The American Lung Association of MI http://www.alam.org/ • Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America~MI Chpt www.aasa.org/focus

  34. AASA Asthma Resources for School Leaders • AASA’s Indoor Air Quality & Asthma Initiatives • School Governance and Leadership (Spring 2003). • Schoolhouse in the Red (2004 Edition). • “Frequently Asked Asthma Questions” document. • Powerful Practices: A Checklist for School Districts Addressing the Needs of Students with Asthma. • Initiating Change: Creating an Asthma Friendly School http://www.aasa.org/publications/content.cfm?ItemNumber=935

  35. School Governance & Leadership

  36. Additional Resources • Strategies for Addressing Asthma Within a Coordinated School Health Program; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/asthma/strategies.htm • Managing Asthma: A Guide for Schools; National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/prof/lung/asthma/asth_sch.htm • Fit, Healthy, and Read to Learn: National Association of State Boards of Education - http://www.nasbe.org/HealthySchools/fithealthy.html • Quest for the Code Asthma CD Rom Game; Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation -http://www.starlight.org/site/c.fuLQK6MMIpG/b.1352333/k.2867/Asthma_CD_ROM_Quest_for_the_Code.htm • Schooled in Asthma; American Academy of Pediatrics - http://www.aap.org/schooledinasthma/ • Tools for Schools; Environmental Protection Agency - http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools/toolkit.html • Open Airways for Schools & Asthma 101 (for Elementary School children) - http://www.lungusa.org/ • Power Breathing™ (for Teens) - http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=4&sub=79&cont=436

  37. Hosted by the MI Association of School Administrators Websitehttp://www.michiganedusource.org/StudentWellbeing.htm Wisconsin Association of School Administrators

  38. Asthma Contacts John Dowling Michigan Department of Community Health Asthma Consultant Ph# 517-335-9713 Em: dowlingjoh@michigan.gov Shawn Cannarile Michigan Public Health Institute Asthma in Schools Coordinator Ph: 517-327-7385 Em: scannari@mphi.org

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