Anjwl - parents/family should always be part of the equation for managing asthma. For some kids, the school nurse may be the one picking up on asthma issues at school. Sometimes this is because the child's asthma is not being well managed at home. School nurses can help educate parents about better asthma management. The should support the parents, not make decisions for them. AAFA supports the SAMPRO (School-Based Asthma Management Program) team approach.

Welcome Anjwl to the community. I'm glad you're here to be part of the conversation. Best!

Kathy, I totally get Nicolle's concern, I am resently enrolled in a community health worker class and one of the cases I was reading a 16 year old went to her CHW as she wanted birthcontrol, never once in the case senerio did they mention the parents role in the situation, lets face it there are alot of parents that are not active in the lives of  thier children but we need to stop and think that thier are parents that are active and we need to be careful not to give to much power to other individual to think its ok to take the rights of the parent away, even the inactive parents need to be included and given the oppurtunity to be the one to make the discisions of thier children. Its great to have a team but lets make sure that the team isn't given power over a parent, some parents don't want that team as they have thier own team that works for them, just in the case with Nicolle. 

Welcome Sher - reducing environmental triggers is very important. When schools better understand the sources of environmental triggers things like cleaning and fragrance, they can be addressed with policies to reduce exposure of students and staff. 

Thanks for sharing that experience Nicolle. I understand your your concern and there is no intention that the school would make decisions for the parent but rather a team approach. 

Studies show that for underserved kids, case management including school nurses can improve outcomes for kids with asthma. You read more in our Asthma Disparities Report (p143) - https://www.aafa.org/asthma-di...n-on-minorities.aspx

Dear Kathy, 

I am a parent of a now grown asthmatic child. There was never a school nurse on campus in elementary schools, rather there was an aid who would call me immediately if our son needed to use his nebulizer to dispense his albuterol. She was wonderful. The language around the school being part of the coordination of my child's care is alarming. The wording needs to be different because it sounds as if the school would be making decisions for the parent.

Yours in health, 

Nicolle "Nikki"

• Efforts to reduce environmental triggers

This is a missing piece in asthma education. Teachers, administrators, and even parents are lacking in knowledge of environmental triggers especially fragrance products, aerosols, disinfectants, and air fresheners. This bill needs to do more to give parents the ability to demand the cease of teachers from using toxic products in their classrooms.

Hi Nicolle,

School nurses are a vital part of the care team to help manage a child's asthma at school. Taking a coordinated team approach with the school nurse managing things at school is the best way to keep children safe at school. The nurse can communicate with both parents and teachers. They have a nursing background but are also part of the educational team. Every child with asthma should have an asthma action plan and some need additional accommodations in an IHCP or 504 plan and the school nurse helps make sure that is all set up.

I am in support of much of this bill with the exception of coordination of care. No school should ever be involved in a child's coordination of care. That is to be left up to the parents and their care provider. Involving a school in the actual coordination of care would be a bridge too far.