Out of Breath

Ok so I've been a bit out of touch here recently. I have been spending a great deal of time prepping for my first Expo that is coming up in October. Life has been a little hectic so I took a break. That said I read something today that I felt very strongly about. 

The article below is about a 9 year old girl who had some breathing difficulties over a weekend that landed her in the ER and she was given an inhaler. She took it with her to school and on Monday when she had another coughing fit she tried to use it, but the school confiscated it and refused her the ability to use it. 

http://fox4kc.com/2015/09/29/9-year-old-girl-denied-inhaler-during-coughing-fit-at-school-per-district-policy/ 

Now I understand the school's perspective of keep the kids safe, don't allow them to take unknown meds, blah, blah, blah. My problem is that even after her father verbally provided the school with permission to use her inhaler she as still denied it because the proper authorizing paperwork was not filled out. 

I'm sorry, but this is sh*t! Any school that MY kids have gone to I am asked whether I would allow the administration of Tylenol or Ibuprofen if needed. Even though I have checked that cute little box I am always still called and it is confirmed that they can give him that medication. Now why can't Albuteral be added to this list of optional medications that can be given by the school? 

There has been a sharp increase of children with asthma or asthma type issues and with doctors being reluctant to formally diagnose a child with "Asthma" because of their age it makes sense to treat attacks on an as needed basis without a specific treatment plan. 

When my son was younger he had several attacks of what anyone else would consider "asthma," but because he was so young they wouldn't provide a treatment plan. He was given a breathing treatment and pretty much told that if he had any future issues to return. But what if there has not been a problem in the past that warranted a doctor's visit. What if a coughing fit is an isolated event due to seasonal allergies? What if a child has one of these attacks for the first time at school because they are being super active at PE or recess? When this child heads to the nurse and they are clearly having difficulty breathing, as a nurse or administrator, you're just going to sit there and watch this child struggle to get air? Resting does NOT always mean the breathlessness will go away. In fact, for my family personally, it is at night, while my son's body is fully at rest, that he has his worst attacks.

When given in small incremental doses Albuteral is nearly as harmless as Tylenol or Ibuprofen and just as necessary. It just blows my mind that a little girl (or boy) could be suffering so badly to the point of puking and the school do nothing more than "monitor" her (or him).

Take action people! Stepping off my soap box now.