New laws in Louisiana, Connecticut, Georgia and Pennsylvania give students the right to carry and self-administer their own medications, including an asthma inhaler.
At this back-to-school time, find out how to tell if your child with asthma is ready to carry and use an inhaler on his or her own. Age and grade-level matter less than individual readiness, according to the Allergy&Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA).

Parent/Child Asthma Inhaler Quiz
See how your answers to the following questions match up with your child’s answers. These are the best clues to determining your child’s readiness to self-manage asthma symptoms at school:

1. Does your child use an inhaler (preferably with a holding chamber) correctly at home? 

2. Does she know the name of her medication and when to use it? 

3. Does he stay calm when having asthma symptoms? 

4. Does she tell you when she is having symptoms or when she has used the inhaler? 

5. Does he use a peak flow meter? 

6. Does your child carry the inhaler at all times? 

7. Does he understand that the inhaler is not a toy and should not be shared with friends? 


If you and your child answer “Yes” to most of these questions, you have a child ready to learn about and take responsibility for his or her inhaler.
 
Asthma self-management begins at home. Parental instruction should be backed up by plenty of low-pressure practice. At school, teachers should be aware of the condition and supportive of the process.
Students who self-manage symptoms must be willing to notify teachers, the school nurse or designated administrator when they need to use their inhalers to treat symptom. They must be willing to tell their parents about all medication use or symptoms experienced while away from home.

Back-to-School Asthma To-Do List for Parents
Ensure that backup medication is available in the school clinic should the child become separated from his medication at any time.
Complete required forms and keep them updated during the school year if contact information or emergency treatment plans change.
 

Not yet time for self-use of an inhaler? School personnel will need to ensure that the student’s medication travels with him from one classroom to the next to prevent treatment delays in times of need. Your child’s allergy or asthma management plan should specify this.
• For answers to common asthma questions, check the Healia Health Guide to Asthma.
• Test your knowledge of asthma—take this informative asthma quiz.
• Student-athletes with asthma and allergies can thrive on the playing field as long as they’re careful and follow these tips.