Management.

Hi, I' m new here and would like a little advice please. Our son has been treated as having asthma from an early age (he is nearly 4). He had two bouts of bronchilolitis. Once when he was 3 months old and again when one. He has now started school for 2 hours. I find that change in weather/temperature are triggers as well as colds. He has had a cold now for a month. He has a cough which varies and we use a preventative inhaler. He also has a ventolin. I would like to know what measures other parents have asked their school to take in managing their child's asthma over the winter months. Thank you.

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Hi Dizzy, my son is 8 now, and when he was 4 and starting school, I taught him to try and use the spacer and blue inhaler by himself as at our school the teachers are not allowed to give the child the asthma meds.

You should check what the teachers can do at your son's school - it varies from school.

I think they must have helped him however becuase he couldn't really do it well and never remembered to shake it. I even drew pictures on a small chart to remind him as he couldn't read!

I taught him to tell the teacher when he didn't feel right - this is hard as teachers don't have the time to see if any one child is ok or not. It's still hard for him to tell the teacher if he needs his inhaler etc.

I have often picked him up and then given him blue reliever straightaway at home time as he hadn't asked for it at school.

You can tell the head about asthma uk and chekc what their asthma policy is and that will help you.

It's always a bad time of year - starting school and my son's asthma gets worse now for a few months.

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Thanks Jackieh I appreciate you taking them time to respond. It must have been difficult trying to teach your son to use his spacer in time for starting school. I understand that our school can give assistance with the spacer. Usually my son has a cold which brings on the asthma or a cold wind, dampness can set it off. It's a difficult thing to manage, I suppose we just have to encourage him to be aware of the symptoms, though as you said, it's not easy, particularly as its a medication thats needed when needed, not at a set time. I'm wondering whether he should take the reliever before going out to play on trigger days and when he has a cold.

I hope the winter will be kind to your son.

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hi my son is now 6 and when he started nursery we were lucky as his teacher was brilliant due to being asthmatic herself. during winter months she used to give him 2 puffs of salbutamol via spacer before playtime and before p e lesson. we were advised by asthma nurse to keep up with 2 puffs before p e. fingers crossed this is working although this warm weather is also causing symptons! speak to your nursery staff and see what they can or are allowed to do as it varies. hope all works out well for you x