America's Schools Put Students With Asthma At Risk, Says Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics

8/27/2002

From: Sharon Ifft of Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics, 703-641-9595, ext. 113; E-mail: sifft@aanma.org

FAIRFAX, Va., Aug. 27 -- Schools are dangerous places for the nearly 5 million children who have asthma, the nonprofit group Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA) warns this week as kids head back to school. Too many of the nation's schools deny students access to lifesaving asthma medication, lack a full-time nurse, and contain symptom-causing allergens and irritants.

"We send our kids off to school trusting that they'll be safe," says AANMA President Nancy Sander. "Instead, children with asthma are dying at school because they didn't have immediate access to their inhalers or because the one trained nurse happened to be at another school that day."

Asthma kills 15 people every day and is the leading cause of missed school days. A deadly asthma attack can strike anytime, anywhere - playgrounds, lunchrooms, school buses, or classrooms. Yet only 18 states have passed legislation giving students the right to carry and self-administer their inhalers at school.

Approximately 56,000 school nurses serve the country's 47 million public school students. But many shuttle between three or four schools each week, leaving schoolchildren without a full-time nurse to manage asthma emergencies. Whether they have asthma or not, students should have access to a registered school nurse at all times.

Kids spend at least six hours a day in schools filled with mold, dust, pesticides, and other chemicals. Breathing these allergens is unhealthy for everyone, but it can be life threatening for those with asthma. The Environmental Protection Agency's Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Kit helps schools improve indoor air quality at little or no cost. However, only about 10,000 of America's nearly 90,000 public schools currently use it.

In May, AANMA held its fifth annual Asthma Awareness Day on Capitol Hill to make the nation's lawmakers aware of these and other issues. AANMA is currently working with Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL), and other members of Congress to develop national legislation protecting the rights of students with asthma.

Visit AANMA's online School House (www.aanma.org/schoolhouse) for practical tips on preparing children with asthma for the upcoming school year. AANMA also offers Asthma & Allergies at School, a resource packet that bridges the communication gap between parents, students, and teachers. Includes how-to instructions, practical examples, problem-solving strategies, and checklists. Available for $10 (800-878-4403 or www.aanma.org).

Founded in 1985, AANMA is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating suffering and death due to asthma and allergies through education, advocacy, community outreach, and research. AANMA offers educational materials for all ages, including award-winning publications and an innovative new Web site (http://www.aanma.org) featuring Breatherville, USA(tm).