Speak up for Asthma.

Hi everyone,

I just thought I'd share my day with you. I volunteer as a speaker for AUK and today I had an opportunity to give a talk to primary school children and their teachers.

It was a bit daunting as it's hard knowing what to say to P1 - P3 ( ages 5-7 years ). I wasn't sure how much they would understand. However, it went very well and the kids were great and asked a lot of relevant questions. They were very enthusiastic too. Normally the groups I go to are adults so this was a fairly new experience but one I hope to build on.

The older children P4 - P7 ( 8-12 years ) were equally enthusiastic and obviously understood a lot more. One of the little boys had pretty troublesome asthma so they were able to relate some of what I was saying to him when he had been unwell at school.

The teachers were very interested too and asked a lot of questions so I've hopefully passed on the message of what it's like to live with Asthma.

I really love being a speaker for AUK and would say to anyone who has some spare time and are fit to give the team at AUK a ring and find out some more. Some training is given and lots of help is available.

I hope everyone keeps well. Take care. LIZ x

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Well done Lizz.

I work in a school and can be nerve recking in front of everyone

lots of love from Glynis xxx

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Good for you. I'd like to be a speaker for Asthma UK but havent got the nerve. I used to give talks in my old job, but I don't think I could do it now.

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Well dome Liz. I did a speak to my son's school during the putting asthma in the limelight campaign and it was very nerve wreaking. But on the plus side I still get asked lots of questions know and the kids still talk about what they can do for their friends when they are in an asthma attack and the school have become pro-active about asthma too. They have renewed their asthma policy, sent out forms to parents for us to fill in about our child's asthma, all their meds including ones they don't take at school, what their symptoms are and what they have to do. They have booked the school nurse to come into school during the summer holidays to train the staff and they are finding out about having a nebuliser on school premises for the children that require a nebuliser instead of them having to bring their home nebuliser to school. They know they will have to have loads of medical sterile masks but they feel that this would be beneficial for the children so all they have to bring with them daily is their nebule.

I have contacted AUK about become a speaker and was offered a place on the next trainning course which I sadly had to refuse due to my health at present and the fact that I can't travel at the moment but hopefully once health is better and I can travel I will be able to go

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That sounds a very useful, postive thing to do - well done - especially after the tragedy of that young lad recently.

I think both teachers and pupils could be educated on asthma.

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I'm a member of the Asthma UK Youth Forum, and have spoken to a few crowds of people, one of the most daunting being a group of school nurses and PE teachers. *shudders* I think it's a fantastic idea because nobody actually realises what it's like for someone with asthma until you sit them down and explain it, ecspecially from a young persons view. You have lots of evidence about how adults deal with asthma, but very little on how teenagers/young adults deal with it.

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my last problem was with the weater being hot my inhaler was hanging in themedi room in my pocket and also have one in the medi cupboard incase for get mine.Anyhow I realy needed it and was strugling with breathing and went to get it and came back a few mins later.Normaly would take it as walking back but was realy bad and needed alot of salbutamol and time tolet it kick in. was 8 puffs ten mins laterMy superviser said can you keep it with you when in the hall,I saidit wasnt a problem and could do that ,my problem was I was having trouble and didnt want the children to see me and needed to sit down on a proper chair and not a bench with the children.She must think like I did before got asthma and you just puff a blue thing and carry on as normal.So more lectures etc in school and to staff is always needed.well done again ,love Glynis xxxedit-could understand her point as the dinner hall needs suppervising but was 2 more staff about.I now have permision to keep my coat in a store room by me when in the hall and told to alert a staff member if get to bad to keep eye on me .she was realy understanding after we talked it through together xxx

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my last problem was with the weater being hot my inhaler was hanging in themedi room in my pocket and also have one in the medi cupboard incase for get mine.Anyhow I realy needed it and was strugling with breathing and went to get it and came back a few mins later.Normaly would take it as walking back but was realy bad and needed alot of salbutamol and time tolet it kick in. was 8 puffsMy superviser said can you keep it with you when in the hall,I saidit wasnt a problem and could do that ,my problem was I was having trouble and didnt want the children to see me and needed to sit down on a proper chair and not a bench with the children.She must think like I did before got asthma and you just puff a blue thing and carry on as normal.So more lectures etc in school and to staff is always needed.well done again ,love Glynis xxx

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Liz, love that Idea, something I could do and must look into. Thanks for the prompt

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I did a lot of talking to student Dr's about managing asthma along with other conditions some of which the best treatment can't be given because of the asthma it is all very frustrating sometimes.

Bex

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Speak up for Asthma.

Hi Everyone,

many thanks for all the positive feedback.I forgot to say that speakers are needed all over the U.K. ( I am from Glasgow ). There are training days run by AUK, so we aren't thrown in at the deep-end. The amount of help and information about now is great compared to when my daughter was very ill but there's a lot more we can do. I wish Bernadette had been able to access something like this to let her know she wasn't alone but as I said now at least we can help change things. Best wishes to everyone and keep sharing. LIZ x

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well done to everyone who is brave enough to speak up.

As previously said, my asthma is very mild and so not much of an issue.

I feel appaulled though about the supervisor in the earlier post. You should have been able to have the inhaler with you all the time anyway these days. As we all know, even those of us who are mild, just occasionally need it and there is really no way of knowing when that might be. If you had it in your pocket then you may well have saved yourself a lot of stress. But well done everyone