School and Childcare Providers

Asthma is a leading chronic illness among children and youth in the United States and a leading cause of school absenteeism. Teachers, coaches, day care providers, and educators can help children manage their asthma.

This page provides Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), government, and nongovernment resources for school personnel planning or maintaining an asthma management program.

Strategies for Addressing Asthma in Schools [PDF - 6MB]

This document provides a compilation of information and resources for implementing asthma programs in schools.

Information About Asthma: CDC's American Sign Language Video for Schools

This American Sign Language (ASL) film, produced by the CDC and the Deaf Wellness Center at the University of Rochester Medical Center, discusses how to manage asthma to help prevent attacks or decrease the overall health effects of this disease. Listen to/Watch this Video... (15:26)

Know How to Use Your Asthma Inhaler

CDC’s National Asthma Control Program created this set of videos to help children with asthma and their families, caregivers, and educators learn how to use an asthma inhaler. The kids in these videos have asthma. Watch them demonstrate the techniques they use to take their medicine. This helps them control their asthma.

CDC’s Healthy Youth! Asthma Web Site

This site describes CDC’s efforts to increase the number of asthma-friendly schools nationwide. It contains information about CDC programs and resources that deal with asthma among youths and attempt to assess school health policies and programs at the state, district, school, and classroom levels. You’ll find the following important resources:

• Initiating Change: Creating an Asthma-Friendly School
  This toolkit will help you convince people in your school and community about the importance of promoting asthma-friendly schools.
• Managing Asthma in Schools—What Have We Learned?
  This publication, developed by CDC and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, provides updated information on developing, implementing, and evaluating school-based asthma programs.
• School Health Index: A Self-Assessment and Planning Guide
  This site provides a tool to help schools understand their strengths and weaknesses and to develop an action plan for improving their health policies and programs related to asthma and other health topics.
• Strategies for Addressing Asthma Within a Coordinated School Health Program
  This site provides a concise list of strategies with accompanying actions schools can take to help students manage asthma through a coordinated approach.
• Working With Schools To Improve Pediatric Asthma Management [PDF - 266 KB]
  A review of recent research findings and guidance for asthma care clinicians on how to enhance school-based asthma management.

American Association of School Administrators

This association supports strong school system leadership to improve the lives of children.

• Asthma Wellness—Keeping Children with Asthma in School and Learning [PDF - 611 KB]

American Lung Association

• Asthma-Friendly Schools Initiative Toolkit
  This toolkit presents a framework and provides the tools for community organizations and schools to ensure that children with asthma are healthy, in school, and ready to learn.
• Open Airways for Schools
  This is an elementary school education program for children with asthma. A key part of the program is the American Lung Association’s (ALA) facilitation of asthma-care partnerships involving school nurses and educational staff as well as physicians, families, and ALA volunteers.

American School Health Association

The association supports school health strategies that contribute to the best possible health and academic outcomes for all children and youth. Their Asthma Resource Portal is an excellent resource for school nurses and others.

National Association of School Nurses

This association supports the health and educational success of children and youth by developing and providing leadership to advance school nursing practice by specialized registered nurses.

• Self-Administration of Rescue Inhalers for Asthma in the School Setting

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

This site provides you information about the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program and about asthma according to target audience.

• Asthma and Physical Activity in the School: Making a Difference
  This site provides a resource for teachers and coaches to help students with asthma participate in sports and physical activities.
• How Asthma Friendly Is Your Childcare Setting?
  Children with asthma need proper support in childcare settings to keep their asthma under control and to be fully active. This checklist can help pinpoint specific areas that may cause problems for them.
• Is the Asthma Action Plan Working?—A Tool for School Nurse Assessment
  All children with asthma need an asthma action plan. This brief assessment tool offers guidance in determining how well an asthma action plan is working for a student.
• Managing Asthma: A Guide for Schools
  This site provides school personnel a booklet describing practical ways to help students with asthma.
• Suggested Emergency Protocol for Students with Asthma Symptoms
  Although each student with asthma needs a personal asthma action plan, schools also should have a written emergency care plan for students who do not have a personal plan at school. This template can help develop a district or school protocol.

Regional Asthma Management & Prevention

• Asthma Environmental Intervention Guide for School-Based Health Centers

  School-based health centers (SBHCs) and their staff are uniquely positioned to help children with asthma.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency—Healthy School Environment Resources

This site provides online resources to help facility managers, school administrators, architects, design engineers, school nurses, parents, and teachers address environmental health issues in schools.