Asthma in the Schools

As other chapters in this text have illustrated, asthma is affected by a myriad of social and economic factors. It is also greatly influenced by factors in the physical environment of a person with asthma. As children spend a significant amount of time at school, the conditions at school are important for their asthma control. For example, they may experience asthma symptoms or exacerbations while at school and need to take medication. Moreover, they may need to use preventive medication before engaging in physical education activities or take steps to avoid other asthma triggers throughout the day. These precautions often require support from school administrators and assistance from school staff.