Mom wants schools to allow students to carry inhalers.

[SilverLining]

TORONTO – Ontario schools should allow students with asthma to carry puffers with them in case of emergencies, says the mother of a 12-year-old boy who died when no one could get his inhaler in time because it was locked in the principal's office.

Ryan Gibbons died Oct. 9, 2012 when he suffered a severe asthma attack during recess at school in the village of Straffordville, in southwestern Ontario.

full story:

http://globalnews.ca/news/1016775/ontario-mom-urges-schools-to-let-kids-with-asthma-carry-puffers/

Education Minister Liz Sandals expressed support for the idea behind Ryan's law during second reading debate in the legislature, but said there may need to be a more comprehensive bill covering other medical conditions such as anaphylaxis.

"There really does seem to be good evidence that, as soon as the child is able to manage their own medication, it's important that they have the puffer or the EpiPen on their person," said Sandals. "Staff should know how to recognize and manage worsening symptoms and asthma attacks."

Our education minister has never heard of Sabrina's Law?

[SilverLining]

NO NO NO .  we do not want to go backwards where only those who can self-administer can self-carry.

[CMdeux]

Yeah "emergency" or "rescue" medications sort of implies "immediate-- even urgent need could occur."

Would an emergency room store all of their intubation supplies on another floor of the hospital?

No?

Why NOT?

[maeve]

Unfortunately, VA has the requirement that the child has to demonstrate that they can self-administer in order for them to self-carry. They are not required to self-administer in the event of a reaction.

I've always likened the requirement to be able to self-administer in a reaction like asking a person who is having a heart attack to perform chest compressions on themselves. We don't make it a requirement in that emergent situation; it shouldn't be a requirement in the case of a severe allergic reaction.

[SilverLining]

Currently it is not required here.  But apparently our Education Minister doesn't know.  (She's new, but that is no excuse.)

[Macabre]

Maeve are you talking inhalers or epis?  DS self-carried both. Well, epis all the time. He could self carry an inhaler, too, and when he did it remained in his backpack (since he was at school so frequently after hours when the nurse's office was closed). His 504 specified he could self carry his Epi.

In MN we just have to fill out a form for self carry of epis or inhalers.

[eragon]

I think for inhalers this should be age related.
10 yrs onwards seems reasonable to me.

however, for younger kids this idea of school kids having own inhalers does bring problems.

1. teachers in class have no idea how many times an asthmatic child has used their inhaler that day,so have no idea a big asthma attack is on horizon.

2. inhalers in pockets/bags can release the gas and so med is not being delievered.(or its empty.)


3. child is not using inhaler correctly possibly without a spacer so not getting correct amount of inhaled meds.

4. if parents leave it to the kids to self medicate, and so do teachers, who is checking the child's lung function?

[maeve]

Oops my confusion. DD always kept both in her backpack (well before 504) from when she started kindergarten. She was not formally allowed to self-carry until she was in 5th grade when her allergist signed off on it. In my district, the permission form for self-carry for inhalers requires that the child demonstrate to the school nurse that they can administer the medication. The child's doctor must also sign off that the child can self-carry.

http://www.lcps.org/cms/lib4/VA01000195/Centricity/Domain/127/Asthma.Actionphysicians2013.pdf

[GoingNuts]

In NYS kids can self carry both epi and inhalers. 

What a terrible, senseless loss.

[Janelle205]

I self carried my inhaler from 7, when I was diagnosed.

At camp, all of the kids had to self carry rescue inhalers and epi for insect allergy (epi for food allergy was up to the parents - self carry or we kept in the dining hall during the day and in the dorms with the teachers at night).  We did occasionally have kids that we had to keep an eye on because they didn't normally self carry and didn't really know how to manage their asthma meds.  Which to me is worrisome - our outdoor ed kids were 11 and 12, and barring any compounding developmental issues, they should really at least have a basic idea of managing a medical condition that can be pretty dangerous.

[SilverLining]

There are two different inhalers.  A rescue and one that is used on a set time.  Is there a reason that second one would have to be used during the school day?

A rescue inhaler needs to be close to the student.  Not necessarily on their person, but close at hand.  Locked in the principals office is never acceptable.

[Janelle205]

All of the daily controllers (steroids and combos) that I can think of are used once or twice a day, so I can't think of any reason that a student would need to have it at school.

I'd want an inhaler in the same room as my child.  It is very easy for asthma to be aggravated by anxiety.  What if there was a lockdown and the inhaler was in a different room?

[SilverLining]

Thank you Janelle.  I don't deal with asthma on a regular basis, so I don't remember the lingo.

[ajasfolks2]

Maeve,

I think doctor can override that LCPS "must be able to self-admiin" bs rule so far as inhaler . . . MD can write order that states inhaler must be co-located with child regardless of ability to self-admin . . .and this can be line-item on 504 and/or IHCP.


There are ways around every "way out" the schools seem to want to construct, KWIM?   

[maeve]

Maeve,

I think doctor can override that LCPS "must be able to self-admiin" bs rule so far as inhaler . . . MD can write order that states inhaler must be co-located with child regardless of ability to self-admin . . .and this can be line-item on 504 and/or IHCP.


There are ways around every "way out" the schools seem to want to construct, KWIM?   

Ajas, Loudoun requires the doctor to sign off on it. For us, it was getting the allergist to agree that she could self-carry. (However, despite that and despite not having a 504 until 4th grade, DD still had her rescue inhaler in her backpack.) She still did, and still does, have to go to the nurse to administer the medication. Just because your child can self-carry, does not mean that they can just take a puff in the classroom should they need it. They must still request to go to the nurse's office. This is the result of other laws governing the administration of medication in school. (For example, I cannot just send DD to school with a new bottle of Benadryl if the old one has expired; a parent must bring the medication to the school nurse. All medication has to be signed for by the parent.)