Asthma and PE in secondary school

[Schulte]

Posted this in Children's Health and got no responses, so I'm hoping someone can help me here!

DD2 is about to start secondary school and I'm worried about the stuff they do in PE at that particular school - such as running a mile - as I know she just can't cope with longer distance running. We've tried. In fact while she's a great sprinter, anything over 200-300m can be a struggle for her.

As this is secondary school, I'm not sure how much help, support and understanding I can expect from the PE teachers - I assume she'll be left to her own devices and expected to manage her asthma herself, to take part in absolutely everything including the dreaded mile and remember to carry her inhaler everywhere? I've already bought her a hip pouch so she can have her inhaler on her person during PE when needed rather than leaving it in the changing room - hopefully the teachers will allow that?

Any tips from people in similar situations would be much appreciated please!

(And yes she's on preventer inhalers and Montelukast and otherwise well controlled.)

you need to see the gp/asthma nurse.
if the asthma is properly controlled, school pe (which honestly isn't very hard) shouldn't be an issue.

and yes, absolutely, she should be able to carry her prescription meds with her.
a stylish bum bag is a good solution.

It very much depends on the pe teacher and some are very unsympathetic. I think you need to give them a chance but be ready to go in and talk to them if that doesn’t work. My DD who also has controlled asthma just managed to complete an 800m run but does struggle if she has any sort of cold and gets little sympathy from the pe staff. I remind her to take her inhaler before she starts the lesson and that helps. It also helps that she is not always last, there are kids that can’t run for lots of reasons.

I worry more about DD’s self esteem than I do about her health in this situation and remind her continually that there are plenty of sports that she can do well.

She needs to be really consistent with her preventative meds in this case. I'm a primary teacher so I'm unsure about how it would work in secondary school but I know all my asthmatic kids and I take then seriously if I see them coughing or not running around outside. Some have to have preventative puffs before playtime etc.

I'm asthmatic myself and I run but in have to take a good 3-4 puffs before I start to see me through.

Thanks all - I knew I'd get some advice here! We have an asthma review booked soon but this summer has been patchy for DD - I think the pollen count and perhaps pollution must have been high with the hot and dry weather. She does take two puffs before she runs but sometimes she has to take another two half way through her exercise and then that leaves her shaky - anyone know how to prevent or stop that shakiness?

They sort the kids into three different PE streams in the first lesson by making them run a full mile - awful policy in my view. I have told DD that she'll just have to alternate walking with short bursts of running as that kind of interval exercise is no problem for her... and to expect to come last. She's competitive so I fear she might try to run fast anyway and then have an asthma attack!

another thing about running - long distance is not a sprint. there is no shame going slowly you should see me running

@Schulte
It's such a big change when they move up to secondary. I work in a secondary school - we have a protocol for every child with asthma - we hold an inhaler for them with parental instruction if needed. A lot of the older kids carry an inhaler on them as well. PE staff are aware of the kids with asthma. Any trip - sports or otherwise the staff are provided with a list and all inhalers/medication necessary for the kids they are taking.
I would be surprised if other schools are not the same/similar.
I would start by speaking to the head of year and form tutor about your DD - they won't mind at all.

I say this with great kindness OP, you’re being a tiny bit precious. Your DD isn’t the only child with asthma. There will be overweight kids, and kids with other health problems too. A lot of kids are just really unfit too! She won’t be the only one who might struggle. If she needs to stop, she just has to stop. FWIW I’m asthmatic and have competed in numerous marathons, half marathons, long distance triathlons etc. If asthma is well controlled, it shouldn’t be a limiter. No one is going to expect her to sprint a mile. Her PE teachers will be explaining that when starting to run any distance, It’s important to do it at a comfortable pace. When we did cross country at school we were expected to be able to hold a conversation throughout.

I have no advise but this makes me angry for your DD. The schools should not be making the asthmatic kids run a mile etc to the point their breathing is suffering.

This was me 30 years ago. You'd have thought by know they would know better.
I was athletic too. Did gymnastics, high jump, on netball team great at 100 and 200 m. Was made to do 1200m and pretty much collapsed by the end. Weren't allowed to carry inhalers either.

Yes I may be overly worried but we're still learning about her asthma, which only came on around three years ago and changes all the time. I've been trying to teach her to run super slowly! For exactly that reason. She refuses to, she'll just sprint ahead and then get out of breath and then need her inhaler and then she has to stop. I realise she's the one who needs to take responsibility here, the PE teachers can't do that for her.

Whatsnewpussycat yes that's my DD too - gymnast, netball team, competed for her primary school at 100m and brought a few medals home. She loves skiing too and has never had an issue on the slopes. It's just the long distance running.

I found the asthma nurse very helpful - my DD listened to her about how to manage sport, school and taking her medication in a way she didn’t listen to me!

That's good to know - of course at the moment all asthma reviews are only over the phone.

My son has asthma and he just sits his inhaler at the side during PE. I'm not sure if they would be allowed it in their person incase they fell and it injured them. Also you say that when she runs she gets out of breath and uses her inhaler. My son did this for a while but after a chat with an asthma nurse he learned to tell the difference between out of breath and asthma playing up. Asthmatics can get out of breath just the same as the rest of us and for normal out of breath feeling you don't need an inhaler. It can be hard to tell the difference though. Hope you find the school helpful with PE.

Thanks. DD insists she can tell the difference - she has described it to me - sometimes it hurst in her chest she says?

hurts not hurst!

I have (mild, allergic) asthma myself and had anxiety about feeling breathless for a long time.
taking things slowly is the key with running. if you look at the c25k schedules it takes weeks before running 5min/1km is attempted.

That's good that she knows then. It was all new to me so I had no idea!!