Schools must help asthma sufferers

SCHOOLS need to reassess their policies with regard to asthma, in the light of Asthma UK’s new report, “Missing Out”, according to Warrington North MP Helen Jones.
One in 11 children in the UK suffers from asthma -one of the highest childhood asthma rates in the world – and the report highlights the concerns of young people with asthma that their needs at school are not understood and on the opportunities and activities they miss out on as a result.
The report found that 49 per cent of children/young people with asthma said they had problems joining in with general lessons and 48 per cent said they have problems going on school trips.
A massive 73 per cent said they have problems joining in PE lessons.
Twenty four per cent of children and young people with asthma missed six or more days of school in the last year and some missed weeks of schooling.
The report also indicated that young asthma sufferers and their parents expressed worries that teachers didn’t understand the condition and pupils were either placed in a “protective bubble” and banned from certain activities or dismissed as being “melodramatic” or “over-reacting”.
Asthma UK also found that 75 per cent of teachers said they were not completely confident about what to do if a child had a potentially life-threatening asthma attack.
Ms Jones said: “Some schools manage to provide good support to children with
asthma but the evidence provided by Asthma UK clearly suggests that not all do so despite a range of official policy and guidance.
“Children should not miss out on their schooling or on out of school activities just because they have asthma. I would like to see all Warrington schools reviewing their asthma policies and working with Asthma UK to adopt best practice so that all of our children have the best possible start in life.”