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Brooke Gardner

PED 125

Programming Activities

November 14, 2017

Asthma

There a various health-related issues that a child may deal with while attending school.

These health-related issues may put the child in danger, especially in physical education classes.

It is very important for not only the school to be aware of this, but also the teacher. A major

health issue a child may deal with in elementary school is asthma. Asthma is one of the most

common long term conditions that a child can be affected by. Asthma affects approximately one

in every ten children in the united states.

Asthma is a lung disease that makes it difficult for an individual to breathe. Asthma

causes temporary inflammation and narrowing of the airways which bring oxygen to the lungs.

When there is inflammation in the airway, the mucus membranes produce more mucus adding to

the narrowing of the airway. Some symptoms include frequent coughing, lack of energy,

wheezing, rapid or shortness of breath, feeling weak or tired and tightness in chest and neck.

(Daines 2016 ) Each student may show different signs and it is important to recognize all

symptoms.

Asthma can be triggered by a variety of things. Due to the sensitive airways of

individuals with asthma, contact with everyday external factors can cause a reaction and either

start or worsen an asthma attack. Asthma triggers do not necessarily cause an immediate

reaction; it can be days or weeks later that an individual is affected by this trigger. Allergies are a

frequent asthma trigger; approximately eighty perfect of individuals who suffer from asthma
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have allergies. According to the article Asthma in Children, “In one study, children who had high

levels of cockroach droppings in their homes were four times more likely to have childhood asthma

than children whose homes had low levels.” Many people believe that only airborne allergies can

lead to asthma, but food allergies may also be an asthma trigger. Another common asthma trigger is

irritants. Irritants include strong odors such as perfume, chemicals used to clean, pollution, and

tobacco smoke. Exercise is another trigger that leads to asthma. Approximately eighty percent of

people with asthma suffer from exercise induced asthma. (Asthma 2012). Common infections such

as sinusitis and the common are often asthma triggers due to the fact that they cause secretion of

mucus similar just like asthma does. This is common especially in children under ten years old. Other

known asthma triggers are the changes in weather and strong emotions such as anxiety, crying,

laughing and more.

Although asthma can be very dangerous, many asthma attacks may be prevented or subsided.

It is very important for individuals to have asthma management; This means that they live an

unrestricted life, no symptoms during the day or at night, and no frequent asthma attacks (Daines

2016). Even though medication is helpful, there are also other external factors that are helpful in

preventing asthma attacks. For instance, when exercising one must be sure to start off with a warm-

up prior to exercising. Not all triggers are easy to subside. For instance, allergies are hard to avoid,

but taking proper allergy medicine can help relieve the symptoms allergies cause. According to

Bostock-Cox, “Control of allergy affecting the upper airways may aid and complement measures

to control inflammation in the lower airways and improve asthma control” (Bostock-Cox 2013).

This is similar to infections as well; when an individual has an infection or sickness it is

important for them to get the proper treatment to reduce the possibility of an asthma attack. Even
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if these factors do help, it is key that an individual suffering from asthma practices respiratory

techniques and always carries an inhaler with them.

In a physical education class there is an ample amount of exercise and activities that go on.

As stated before exercise is a common asthma trigger. It is important for the teacher to be aware of

this so the lesson could be planned accordingly. It is key for there to be a slow warm-up provided

before going into strenuous exercises and activities. In addition, many physical education classes can

be held outside as well as inside, if the teacher has an understanding of health issues students may

have the teacher will be able to take into account environmental factors such as been a considerable

change in the weather, humidity and temperature. Also, it is important for a student with asthma to

always have an inhaler nearby during physical education class.

Physical education and health are critical in combating asthma. Regularly exercising and

maintaining a good diet is always helpful with any type of health issues. Keeping children with

asthma active can help them be more immune to a high exercise habit and reduce exercise-induced

asthma. According to Praena-Crespo, in some grade school’s asthma education is taught to students.

This helps students improve asthmatic quality of life, gain knowledge of asthma and help them learn

about possible dangerous situations and how to prevent them.

As a child, many students do not understand the dangers of their health issues. Many students

who have asthma cannot apprehend what asthma is and what factors can trigger this condition. As a

teacher with knowledge about asthma, you will be able to teach the student about their condition and

potential dangers. Keeping students informed will help insure their safety.

Not only is it scary for the student to have asthma, it is also frightening for the parent sending

them to school. It is important for the parents to talk to the staff of the school to discuss their child’s
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conditions. Parents should inform schools what their child can and cannot do, what the child’s

triggers are and whether or not they are able to use the inhaler unsupervised.

Being able to adjust one’s lessons accordingly is a key factor as a teacher. It is highly

important to make sure that all students have a fun and safe environment around them. Knowing

what health-related issues children may have and having background knowledge of these conditions

is something that will benefit the teacher as well as the students.

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Works cited

Asthma in Children: Symptoms and Risk Factors. www.webmd.com/asthma/children#1.

"Asthma Triggers." Asthma Sourcebook 2012: 57-76.

Bostock-Cox B (2013) Assessing and managing allergic rhinitis. Practice Nursing 24(6) 288–292

Daines, Luke. "Asthma in Children." InnovAiT 10.1 (2017): 5-14.

Marsh, Viv. "Personalised Approaches for Preventing Asthma Attacks." Practice Nursing28.1

(2017): 8-12.

Praena-Crespo, M. "Asthma Education Taught By Physical Education Teachers At Grade School

A Randomised Cluster Trial." ALLERGOLOGIA ET IMMUNOPATHOLOGIA 45.4

(2017): 375 386.