Asthma Policy

This policy has been written with advice from the Department of Education, Asthma UK and local healthcare professionals.

Ballymena Primary School recognises that asthma is a widespread, serious but controllable condition affecting many pupils at our school. Pupils with asthma are encouraged to achieve their potential in all aspects of school life. All staff, who come into contact with pupils with asthma, are made aware of this policy.

Medicine and Control

School staff are under no obligation to administer medicines to pupils (except in an emergency), however the staff of this school have agreed to undertake appropriate training and to administer asthma medicines to pupils when necessary.

Staff who agree to this will receive indemnification from the NEELB when acting in accordance with this policy.

Relievers (usually blue)

Immediate access to reliever medicine is essential when symptoms start. Every child with asthma should have a reliever inhaler, clearly labelled with his/her name. These may be carried in school bag or kept by the class teacher so that they are readily available. They should always be available during physical education, sports activities and educational visits. Children who are able to use their reliever inhaler themselves should be allowed to carry it with them.

Asthma UK recommends that the reliever should be used in combination with a spacer device.

It is the parent’s/carer’s responsibility to ensure that all inhalers that are taken to school are still in date.

Preventers (may be brown, red, orange or white)

These are usually taken outside of school hours.

Record Keeping

Parents are asked to record any medical conditions on the Pupil Admission Form. Consequently, all parents/carers of children with asthma will be sent a “School Asthma Card” to give to their child’s doctor or asthma nurse to complete. This should then be returned to the school. School Asthma Cards will be updated on an annual basis or when the child’s condition or medication changes.

This enables the school to keep an up-to-date register which is available to all staff.

Exercise and Activity

Pupils with asthma are encouraged to participate fully in all P.E. lessons, after-school activities and educational outings. Each pupil’s inhaler will be kept at the site of the lesson or activity.

Asthma Attacks

All staff know what to do in the event of an asthma attack, following the procedure outlined by Asthma UK. This procedure is visibly displayed in the staffroom and every classroom.