To think school should be able to manage asthma?

[Patiencerunningthin]

Y7 with controlled asthma- recent asthma nurse and GP check up all fine. Right meds, technique is good, peak flow fine.
No real issues in primary.
High school constantly sending him home for coughing. There is something environmental triggering it- he’s identified smell of cleaning products, dust in main hall and perfume/ body sprays.
Has asthma plan, inhalers and steroids in school.
Stops coughing within 5/ 10 minutes of being at home.
Perfectly happy at school, wants to be in lessons and upset about having to come home.
I have requested a meeting with Head of Year. This is so disruptive to him and unsustainable. He’s missing 3 lessons today. They have admitted as much that his coughing is an irritant, rather than a health risk.
Anyone had similar or managed to help school find an alternative solution to ringing me out of work? This is the 6th occasion since September. Awaiting a call from school nurses but unclear what they can offer beyond the asthma nurse or GP.

another thought - throat sweets

I know that asthma cough is different to tickly cough, but raising moisture in the mouth can help lessen cough frequency.

He shouldn’t be denied using his medical pass at any time
My DD has one and uses it as she needs
you should raise this with school asap

Some people on this thread have described an asthma cough as “incredibly disruptive to lessons”. My DD has asthma although luckily isn’t experiencing this at school. For comparison, there are pupils in her class with ADHD who are permitted fidget toys which are clicking constantly and someone else with a childhood tic. There are many other examples. Is this also “incredibly disruptive to lessons?”

In the interests of inclusivity, concessions have been made for these pupils to be in class to receive their education, so perhaps someone could describe for me how it’s ok for pupils with a cough to be routinely excluded from lessons. Absolutely bonkers world we live in.

Hope you get it sorted OP.

You need to persevere to get school staff to recognise the potential seriousness of asthma. Sorry no real advice but put in writing everything you have raised. And make sure you have a plan should your DC become very unwell at any point. eg DC calls you and dials 999.

Ask them if they have an asthma register. They should have one with each child’s medical plan on.

And yes a constant, loud barking cough is a distraction and also a health concern (I.e unmanaged asthma). Obviously there is issues with the school if the child has been denied using a medical pass.

I am very sorry if this seems overdramatic but you need to be aware of the possible consequences of school ignorance:
www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/mar/24/sam-linton-asthma-death

@rubyslippers - not got them to hand for names but purple steroid inhaler at night and morning and usual blue when needed.
Anti-histamine is a good call.
Cough is not a bark, more of a low- but constant- clearing of throat.
Really helpful points- thanks all.
He’s gone off for his 3rd football training session of the week. He was fearing we wouldn’t let him train tonight but fresh air suits him, exercise suits him and never results in a cough.
I’ll try and get hold of the asthma nurse tomorrow to see if she can offer any advice.

The antihistamine is a good idea, i know the cough you mean, and the antihistamine is a big help for me, you may need to try a couple of different ones though.

It may not be relevant but ask him if when he’s coughing he feels like mucus is running down the back of his throat

Post nasal drips can also cause asthmatics to cough, it’s autumn mould spore season at the moment and if he’s already sensitive then the fusty room may be making it worse but could be helped with a nasal spray

I can fully understand why the school err on the side of caution and phone you.

Ds has severe asthma and one thing his physio has taught him is the stop cough method similar to this www.nnuh.nhs.uk/publication/download/cough-suppression-v2/ which may help.

Hope you can get a satisfactory way forward OP.

If only there were not people going half a mile in their SUVs to school instead of walking, perhaps the air quality would be better and the number of children (and adults) with asthma would be a lot less.

Also wanted to suggest this. Makes a big difference for DS if he's going through a coughing phase. I get it too. It's basically allergy causing mucous which runs down the back of the throat and makes you cough. People often don't notice it happens apart from the cough.

I think you clearly need to get some advice on how to manage the coughing or identify the triggers. If the triggers can't be avoided then he needs something to protect him. Could he wear a specific mask that filters the impurities? I can see why the school feel he needs to be elsewhere if he is constantly coughing. No one else can listen to the teacher if he is constantly coughing.

Thanks all- just realised my username makes it sound like my patience is running thin with school. I set it up last week (having been a long time lurker) for another post- that is wearing my patience:)
I can completely understand the anxieties of school staff however I don’t accept that coughing children (and it isn’t constant) are so disruptive to the education of others that they need sending home. Otherwise classrooms would be empty during cough and cold season.
Some great advice here. I’m going in to school in the morning to try and organise a face to face with Head of Year, I’ll be phoning surgery too so we cover all basis. Keen, as we have been since September, to find a solution to this that keeps him in school and works for staff too.
chees

When was his last review? My DD is also Yr 7 and they measured her in a new way relating to allergend (Feno test) after a few weeks at secondary school as she had been struggling a bit and turns out her preventative inhaler needed doubling as the prescription has not changed for years and when she was remeasured 2 weeks later her score had halved to normal readings.
I realise its not quite the same situation but we found this out as the asthma nurse gave her her flu vaccine and just decided to test at the same time as I said she had been coughing a but more than usual.

@Pics Reviewed by asthma nurse 01/11 and had flu jab at the same time. I’ll mention the test when I speak to her- hopefully tomorrow.
He’s seen the GP twice in relation to this recently- once at school’s insistence and second as a GP follow up. GP advised meds were all ok and nurse confirmed but worth checking again.