Page Contents

• Purpose, Scope

• Asthma

• Asthma management

• Asthma Action Plans

• Asthma Emergency Response

• Prevention strategies

• Thunderstorm asthma

• Managing exercised induced asthma (EIA)

• Asthma emergency kit

• Management of confidential medical information

• Communication plan

• Staff training

• Communication of this policy

• Further information and resources

Purpose

• To ensure Templestowe College supports students diagnosed with asthma.

• To provide, as far as practicable, a safe, healthy and supportive school environment that takes into consideration the needs of all students, including those who may suffer from asthma. All students can participate equally in all aspects of the student’s schooling.

• To raise awareness about asthma and the school’s asthma management policy in the school community.

• To engage with parents/carers of students at risk of asthma in assessing risks, developing risk minimisation strategies and management strategies for the student.

• To ensure that each staff member has adequate knowledge about asthma and the school’s policy and procedures in responding to asthma attack

Scope

This policy applies to:

• all staff, including casual relief staff, contractors and volunteers

• all students who have been diagnosed with asthma or who may require emergency treatment for asthma and their parents/carers.

Policy

Asthma is a long term lung condition. People with asthma have sensitive airways in their lungs which react to triggers, causing a ‘flare-up’. In a flare-up, the muscles around the airway squeeze tight, the airways swell and become narrow and there is more mucus. This makes it hard to breathe. An asthma flare-up can come on slowly (over hours, days or even weeks) or very quickly (over minutes). A sudden or severe asthma flare-up is sometimes called an asthma attack.

Signs and symptoms

The most common symptoms of asthma are:

• wheezing – a continuous, high-pitched sound coming from the chest while breathing

• shortness of breath – a feeling of not being able to get enough air

• a feeling of tightness in the chest

• persistent coughing – alongside other symptoms

• noisy breathing, such as a rattling sound, is common in healthy babies and pre-schoolers. This is not the same as wheezing and does not mean the child has asthma

Mild/Moderate Symptoms:

• may have a cough

• may have a wheeze

• minor difficulty in breathing

Severe Symptoms:

• cannot speak a full sentence in one breath

• may have a cough

• may have a wheeze

• obvious difficulty in breathing.

• sitting hunched forward

• lethargic (children)

• tugging in of skin over the chest and throat

• sore tummy (young children)

Life-threatening symptoms:

• unable to speak or 1-2 words more than a few words per breath

• being very distressed and anxious

• collapsed, exhausted, unconscious

• wheeze and cough may be absent

• gasping for breath

• pale and sweaty

• may have blue lips discolouration

• sucking in of skin over ribs/throat

• drowsy/confused

Triggers

A trigger is something that sets off or starts asthma symptoms. Everyone with asthma has different triggers. For most people with asthma, triggers are only a problem when asthma is not well controlled with medication. Common asthma triggers include:

A detailed description of triggers can be found on the Asthma Foundation of Victoria website here.

If a student diagnosed with asthma enrols at Templestowe College:

1.Parents/Guardians must provide the school with an Asthma Action Plan which has been completed by the student’s medical practitioner. The plan must outline:

• the prescribed medication taken by the student and when it is to be administered, for example as a pre-medication to exercise or on a regular basis

• emergency contact details

• the contact details of the student’s medical practitioner

• the student’s known triggers

• the emergency procedures to be taken in the event of an asthma flare-up or attack.

2. Parents/carers should also provide a photo of the student to be included as part of the student’s Asthma Action Plan.

3. Templestowe College will keep all Asthma Action Plans in the General Office and Health Centre. Summary pages of each student diagnosed with Asthma will be displayed in each staff room. Easy access of summary pages are located in TEAMS and on Compass.

4. School staff may also work with parents/carers to develop a Student Health Support Plan which will include details on:

• how the school will provide support for the student

• identify specific strategies

• allocate staff to assist the student

Any Student Health Support Plan will be developed in accordance with Templestowe College’s Healthcare Needs Policy.

If a student diagnosed with asthma is going to attend a school camp or excursion, Templestowe College parents/guardians are required to provide any updated medical information.

5. If a student’s asthma condition or treatment requirements change, parent/carers must notify the school and provide an updated Asthma Action Plan.

6. School staff will work with parents/carers to review Asthma Action Plans (and Student Health Support Plans) once a year. For more information see Asthma Action Plans.

All students diagnosed with asthma are required to have a student asthma kit at school which contains:

• their own prescribed reliever medication labelled with the student’s name

• their spacer

Students will be required to keep their asthma kits with them while at school or student asthma kits can be stored in the Health Centre

Developing an asthma action plan/support plan

An action plan should be developed but the students health practitioner in consultation with the parents/guardians and be provided to the school annually. It must include the following:

• prescribed medication to be taken

  • on a regular basis as a preventative

  • as a premedication to exercise

  • if the student is experiencing symptoms

• emergency contact details

• details about deteriorating asthma including

  • signs to recognize worsening symptoms

  • what to do during an asthma attack

  • what medication to use

• An asthma first aid section should specify no less than 4 separate puffs of a reliever puffer with 4 breaths taken per puff every 4 minutes, using a spacer if possible.

• a Student Health Support Plan, developed by the school in consultation with the parents/carers and where appropriate the student’s treating medical team

Individual Asthma Action Plans

The school will ensure that an Individual Asthma Action Plan is collected, in consultation with the student’s parents, for any student who has been diagnosed by a Medical Practitioner as being at risk of asthma. The Individual Asthma Action Plan will be in place as soon as practicable after the student enrols and where possible before their first day of school. The Individual Asthma Action Plan will set out the following:

• Information about the student’s medical condition that relates to asthma;

• Strategies to minimise the risk of exposure to known triggers while the student is under the care or supervision of School Staff, for in-school and out-of-school settings including; in the school yard, at camps and excursions, or at special events conducted, organised or attended by the School;

• The name of the person(s) responsible for implementing the strategies; • Information on where the student's medication will be stored;

• The student's emergency contact details; and

• An Asthma Action Plan provided by the parent that:

• Sets out the emergency procedures to be taken in the event of an asthma attack;

• Is signed by a medical practitioner who was treating the child on the date the practitioner signs the emergency procedures plan; and

• Includes an up to date photograph of the student

If a student is:

• having an asthma attack

• difficulty breathing for an unknown cause, even if they are not known to have asthma

School staff will endeavour to follow the Asthma First Aid procedures outlined in the table below. School staff may contact Triple Zero “000” at any time.

Staff will call Triple Zero “000” immediately if:

• the person is not breathing

• if the person’s asthma suddenly becomes worse or is not improving

• if the person is having an asthma attack and a reliever is not available

• if they are not sure if it is asthma

• if the person is known to have anaphylaxis

and then:

• contact the students emergency contacts

• communication with Parents is to occur in accordance with Communication Plan

• complete incident report on Compass and CASES21

Post Incident Support

An asthma attack can be a very traumatic experience for the student, others witnessing the reaction, and parents. In the event of an asthma attack, students and school staff may benefit from post-incident counselling (e.g. EAP Service) or school psychologist.

Review

After an asthma attack has taken place that has involved a student in the School's care and supervision, it is important that the following review processes take place.

1. Any medication is replaced if required.

2. The student's Individual Asthma Action Plan should be reviewed in consultation with the student's parents

3. The School's Asthma Action Policy should be reviewed to ensure that it adequately responds to asthma attacks by students who are in the care of school staff

The school has considered risk Minimisation and Prevention Strategies for all attendees in school and out of school settings, which include (but are not limited to) the following:

• During classroom activities (including class rotations, specialist and elective classes)

• Between classes and other breaks

• During recess and lunchtimes

• Before and after school

• Special events including incursions, sports, cultural days, fetes or class parties, excursions and camp

See Appendix A for specific strategies

To reduce triggers

• The college will endeavour to mow the school grounds out of school hours

• Plant low allergen plants

• Limit dust by having curtains and carpets regularly cleaned

• Heating and cooling systems are regularly cleaned to reduce dust

• The use of maintenance chemicals eg. paint are restricted to school holidays where possible

Thunderstorm asthma is a form of asthma that is triggered by an uncommon combination of high pollen (usually during late Spring to early Summer) and a certain kind of thunderstorm. Anyone can be affected, even if they don’t have a history of asthma.

People at increased risk have a history of asthma, have unrecognised asthma, have hay fever (allergic rhinitis), particularly seasonal hay fever, or are allergic to grass pollen.

People experiencing asthma symptoms even if for the first time should not ignore it, and should seek medical advice as soon as possible. An asthma flare up can vary in severity and can be life threatening. If there are signs that a person’s condition is deteriorating, urgent care should be sought. Call Triple Zero (000).

Schools should be aware of forecast thunderstorms in the pollen season particularly on days with a HIGH or EXTREME pollen count. Where possible, students should stay indoors with doors and windows closed until the storm front has passed.

More information on thunderstorm asthma can be accessed on the Asthma Australia website here and the forecast of pollen across Australian can be found here.

If a student has diagnosed EIA, the College will ensure that they allow adequate time for the following procedures before, during and after exercise:

Before

• reliever medication to be taken by the student 5-20 mins before activity

During

• if symptoms occur, student is to stop activity, take reliever medication and only return to activity once symptom free

• if symptoms reoccur, student is to take reliever medication and cease activity

After

• ensure cool down activity is undertaken

• be alert for symptoms

If a student has an asthma attack during exercise, follow their Asthma Action Plan if easily accessible or commence first aid procedure.

Asthma Emergency Kit

Templestowe College will provide and maintain Asthma Emergency Kits. They are kept in the Sports Centre/General Office/S Wing/PAC/Food Tech and the Health Centre  One kit will be a mobile kit for activities such as:

• yard duty

• camps and excursions.

The Asthma Emergency Kit will contain:

• at least 1 blue or blue/grey reliever medication such as Airomir, Admol or Ventolin

• at least 2 spacer devices (for single person use only) to assist with effective inhalation of the blue or blue/grey reliever medication (Templestowe College will ensure spare spacers are available as replacements). Spacers will be stored in a dust proof container.

• clear written instructions on Asthma First Aid, including:

  • how to use the medication and spacer devices

  • steps to be taken in treating an asthma attack

• A record sheet/log for recording the details of an asthma first aid incident, such as the number of puffs administered

The health centre will monitor and maintain the Asthma Emergency Kits. They will:

• ensure all contents are maintained and replaced where necessary

• regularly check the expiry date on the canisters of the blue or blue/grey reliever puffers and place them if they have expired or a low on doses

• replace spacers in the Kits after each use (spacers are single-person use only)

• dispose of any previously used spaces.

The blue or blue/grey reliever medication in the Asthma Emergency Kits may be used by more than one student as long as they are used with a spacer. If the devices come into contact with someone’s mouth, they will not be used again and will be replaced.

After each use of a blue or blue/grey reliever (with a spacer):

• remove the metal canister from the puffer (do not wash the canister)

• wash the plastic casing

• rinse the mouthpiece through the top and bottom under running water for at least 30 seconds

• wash the mouthpiece cover

• air dry then reassemble

• test the puffer to make sure no water remains in it, then return to the Asthma Emergency Kit.

Confidential medical information provided to Templestowe College to support a student diagnosed with asthma will be:

• recorded on the student’s file

• shared with all relevant staff so that they are able to properly support students diagnosed with asthma and respond appropriately if necessary

See Appendix B for Roles and Responsibilities

This section sets out Templestowe College Communication Plan that provides information to all school staff, students and parents about asthma and the School's Asthma Management Policy and how to respond to an asthma attack by a student in various environments including:

• During normal school activities including in the classroom, in the school yard, in all school buildings and sites including gymnasiums and halls; and

• During off-site or out of school activities, including on excursions, school camps and at special events conducted or organised by the School

Templestowe College will arrange the following asthma management training for staff:

TC will also conduct an annual briefing for staff on:

• the procedures outlined in this policy

• the causes, symptoms and treatment of asthma

• identities of the students diagnosed with asthma

• how to use a puffer and spacer

• the location of:

  • the Asthma Emergency Kits

  • asthma medication which has been provided by parents for student use.

TC will also provide this policy to casual relief staff and volunteers who will be working with students, and may also provide a briefing if the Principal decides it is necessary depending on the nature of the work being performed.

This policy will be communicated to our school community in the following ways:

• Available publicly on the school website

• Included in staff induction processes

• Included in transition correspondence to new families

• Included in our Anaphylaxis/Asthma briefing twice yearly as per DET guidelines

• Annually referenced in Next Week @TC

• Hard copy available from school administration upon request

The Department’s Policy and Advisory Library (PAL):

• Asthma Policy (DET)

• Treating an asthma attack

External resources:

• Asthma Australia Resources

Related TC Polices:

• Anaphylaxis Policy

• Health Care Needs Policy

• First Aid Policy