Launch of guidelines on effective management of asthma (A/Min)

15/10/97

Making the State's 1,050 primary and secondary schools more asthma-friendly by the year 2000 is the aim of a new set of guidelines developed by the Asthma Foundation of Western Australia.

Launched today by Youth and Acting Education Minister Mike Board, the Asthma Friendly School Guidelines recommend practical strategies for effectively managing asthma - now the most common chronic health problem among school-age children.

The guidelines were successfully trialled in five WA schools earlier this year and it is hoped they will dramatically cut the 965,000 school days lost to asthma each year across Australia.

Launching the guidelines at Clarkson Community High School where one of the pilot trials occurred, Mr Board said asthma affected one in four primary students and one in seven secondary students.

"The issue of asthma in schools and its impact on the education system cannot be ignored since children spend more of their working day at school than at home," he said.

"The Asthma Foundation of WA is to be applauded for this initiative to help school students.

"Adopting the Asthma Friendly School Guidelines is a simple and practical way of helping parents, teachers, school nurses and students minimise the effects of asthma."

The Asthma Friendly School Guidelines recommend schools:

·      provide asthma education for all staff to ensure they are aware of the steps involved in treating an asthma attack and dealing with students with asthma;

·      maintain accessible central records identifying all students with asthma;

·      display asthma first aid posters in key school locations;

·      introduce a lung health education program;

·      keep fully-stocked asthma first aid kits;

·      recognise potential risks on school sport days, excursions or camps, and the need for management and emergency procedures for students with asthma; and -

·      encourage parent involvement in the management of asthma in schools.

Mr Board said asthma was the major cause of school absenteeism in Australia and often resulted in lethargy, tiredness, decreased motivation and inability to concentrate.

"Sadly, it can also be life-threatening, with one school-age student dying from asthma each fortnight in Australia in 1995," the Minister said.

"We must ensure our teachers have access to the information and skills necessary to assist students in such an emergency situation."

Asthma Foundation executive director Matthew Tweedie said response to the Asthma Friendly School pilot study had been excellent.

Already more than 100 schools had expressed an interest in adopting the guidelines.

"The initial interest from schools across WA backs up the results from our research conducted for the Teenagers and Asthma project earlier this year," Mr Tweedie said.

"We received strong feedback from parents and teachers that asthma was a real issue in schools and one that needed to be tackled at a community level."

The Asthma Friendly School Guidelines are based on a National Policy on Asthma Management for Schools, developed by The Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand.

Most State education departments, Catholic education departments and independent schools associations across Australia have endorsed the policy.

Media contacts: Peter Harris, Minister's office, (08) 9222 9211 or 0411 592 138;

Carla Shearman, Shearman Communications, (08) 9328 8199 or 0412 140 220