We developed the Asthma Friendly Schools Programme to provide schools with asthma information and resources, in order to enable staff to become familiar with asthma symptoms, triggers, treatments, and emergency procedures. The Asthma Society can arrange asthma nurse information talks in schools on request.
As 1 in 5 Irish children have asthma, it is inevitable that at some point every school will have to deal with a student having an asthma attack. We are often contacted by teachers who have been in this frightening situation and didn't know how to respond, or those who are worried that it might happen to them.
We developed the Asthma Friendly Schools Programme to provide schools with asthma information and resources, in order to enable staff to become familiar with asthma symptoms, triggers, treatments, and emergency procedures. The Asthma Society can arrange asthma nurse information talks in schools on request.
There are also private companies who provide certified training for the administration of a reliever inhaler (salbutamol) to a student during an asthma attack. These training courses are in line with S.I. No. 449/2015 Medicinal Products Regulations 2015.
Students with asthma currently miss an average of 10 school days a year due to their illness. Even mild symptoms can negatively impact their physical and mental health, and most children with asthma do not fully appreciate the importance of managing their condition, or understand how dangerous it can suddenly become.
Details of the Programme
The Asthma Friendly Schools Programme is open to all Irish primary and secondary schools. The programme has 3 different strands:
1. Providing basic asthma information and teaching aids through our website for all primary and secondary schools to access.
2. Engaging with schools that contact us to ask for advice and tailored resources such as, posters, educational booklets and nurse information talks.
3. Providing schools with the opportunity to become an Asthma Friendly School. Schools who work with us to meet the criteria can be certified Bronze, Silver or Gold in recognition of their achievement.
For the list of the past winners of the Asthma Freindly Schools Award click here.
Contact Us
Please email healthpromotion@asthma.ie or call us on 01 817 8886 for more information.
