Putting schools to the test

Today, asthma is the most common chronic childhood illness, affecting approximately 15% of U.S. children. Because children spend much of their time there, schools must be actively involved in asthma management. Asthma episodes can be serious, even life-threatening, so it is important that schools be prepared to intervene early to prevent an episode from worsening and ensure a child gets timely emergency care if necessary. Unfortunately, many schools do not employ full-time nurses or train school personnel in asthma management. This shortage of qualified personnel creates great challenges for schoolchildren with asthma.