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Alameda County School Districts Leaders in Addressing Asthma in Schools

Alameda County School Districts Leaders in Addressing Asthma in Schools. Supported by. Sheila Jordan Superintendent, Alameda County Office of Education Arnold Perkins Director, Alameda County Public Health Department Poki Stewart Namkung, MD Public Health Director, Berkeley.

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Alameda County School Districts Leaders in Addressing Asthma in Schools

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  1. Alameda County School Districts Leaders in Addressing Asthma in Schools

  2. Supported by • Sheila Jordan Superintendent, Alameda County Office of Education • Arnold Perkins Director, Alameda County Public Health Department • Poki Stewart Namkung, MD Public Health Director, Berkeley

  3. What is Asthma? • Asthma is a chronic, obstructive respiratory disease. • It cannot be cured, but it can be managed. • If not treated, asthma can be fatal.

  4. What are the Symptoms of Asthma? • Shortness of breath • Wheezing • Tightness in the chest • Coughing

  5. What Makes Asthma Worse? • Allergens • Warm-blooded pets (including dogs, cats, birds, and small rodents) • Dust mites • Cockroaches • Pollens from grass and trees • Molds (indoors and outdoors)

  6. What Makes Asthma Worse? (cont.) • Irritants • Cigarette smoke and wood smoke • Scented products such as hair spray and cleaning products • Strong odors from fresh paint or cooking • Automobile fumes and air pollution • Chemicals such as pesticides

  7. What Makes Asthma Worse? (cont.) • Infections in the upper airways, such as colds (a common trigger for both children and adults) • Exercise (in some people) • Changes in weather and temperature

  8. How is asthma controlled? Medical management + Environmental management

  9. Asthma in Schools • Asthma is a growing problem among children • During the last couple of decades, asthma rates among school-aged children in the U.S. have nearly doubled

  10. Asthma in Schools • Asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism due to chronic illness • Asthma accounts for 14 million school days lost annually

  11. In most classrooms of 30 children, 3 or more children are likely to have asthma

  12. In classrooms of 30 children in many schools in Alameda County, 6 or more children are likely to have asthma

  13. Asthma is a troubling example of what public health professionals call “health disparities Asthma hospitalization rates are four times higher for African American children than white children

  14. Impact on the learning environment (and test scores) • You can’t teach kids who are absent • It’s harder to teach kids who are not feeling well or are distracted by classmates coughing • It is difficult to teach kids who are sleep deprived • It is difficult to teach kids who are experiencing side effects from asthma medication

  15. Impact of having staff and teachers with asthma • When teachers are out sick, substitutes may not be able to stay on track • Substitutes are costly • Worker’s compensation is costly

  16. Impact on Teachers and Staff Even the most caring staff and teachers find it difficult to deal with students with asthma if they have little knowledge and no management systems in place… …. especially with a shortage of school nurses.

  17. So, what can schools do? There are many simple, low-cost approaches that make a difference

  18. You are not alone! Schools have allies among public health agencies and non-profit organizations committed to working with you

  19. To comprehensively address asthma in schools, there are four main types of activities • Educate students and staff • Establish management and support systems for students with asthma • Improve indoor air quality • Improve outdoor air quality

  20. Educate students and staff • Ensure that students with asthma receive education on asthma basics, asthma management, and emergency response. Encourage parents to participate. • Provide school staff with education on asthma basics, including environmental factors that can trigger asthma attacks, asthma management, and emergency response as part of their professional development activities.

  21. Resources available to you We can provide: • Educational materials and some guidance to schools. • Slides for presentations to school staff. • A toolkit of materials and tips for school nurses. • First Aid for Asthma posters in English and Spanish. • Model programs from other schools.

  22. Establish management and support systems for students with asthma • Designate a person to coordinate asthma activities in each district. • Ensure that all students have immediate access to medications at all time. • Ensure that each school has staff who know about asthma medications and proper procedures.

  23. Establish management and support systems for students with asthma (continued) • Communicate with parents and guardians to identify students with asthma and improve coordination of support services. • Ensure that students with more severe asthma have a written Asthma Action Plan on file.

  24. Resources available to you We can provide: • Models of policies and procedures used in other districts. • Asthma Action Plans free of charge.

  25. Improve indoor air qualityWHY? • Even with the best clinical management, children with asthma will continue to be sick if they face triggers at school • Asthma-friendly classrooms create better environments for both teaching and learning • Improving indoor air quality is a cost-effective approach for dealing with asthma– now more than ever!

  26. Improve indoor air quality • Designate a person at each district to work with the US EPA Region 9 to implement their ACSA- and CASBO-endorsed “Tools for Schools” program, a low- to no-cost program using simple changes to improve the school environment, reducing factors that may trigger asthma attacks.

  27. EPA’s IAQ Tools for Schools • Step-by-step guidance to ensure a healthy, productive school environment • Easy, low- or no-cost • Combines things the district can do and things done in schools • Thousands of school nationally are using it with success

  28. Resources available to you • Training • Technical and Program Assistance • Wide range of existing outreach documents and training modules

  29. Address Outdoor Air Quality Just a few examples of activities include: • Have indoor activities on “Spare the Air Days” • Work to reduce school bus idling near classroom windows • Work with environmental health organizations to address local concerns

  30. Resources available to you • We can provide models of other programs and connections with other schools who are addressing outdoor air pollution. • We can connect you with environmental groups in your areas.

  31. Discussion • Questions or comments? • Who is interested in pursuing a discussion with us on how you can get started?

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