School

Is your asthma giving you problems at school? Drop me a line and I'll see if I can answer your problem.

I seem to catch every cold that's going at school. They're a big problem as they make my asthma bad for ages. Is there anything I can do to keep them at bay? | Graham, 12

Your eyes are streaming, your nose is swollen, and your head feels like it's been stuffed with cotton wool... and as if that wasn't enough, your asthma starts playing up again. The most common trigger for asthma is the common cold, which is actually caused by one of 200 different viruses. Flu (influenza) is another virus that often makes your asthma worse.

There are a number of things you can do to prevent and treat colds and flu, and reduce their effect on your asthma:

  • boost your immune system by eating lots of fruit and veg - not just when you've got a cold, but all the time! Research suggests that lots of vitamin C might not actually prevent colds, but it may make them less serious and long-lasting
  • try to avoid coming into close contact with people who you know have got a cold or flu (of course, this is far easier said than done!)
  • refer to your personal asthma action plan and ask your doctor or nurse if you have severe asthma symptoms, ask if you can have a flu vaccination in the autumn
  • if you buy a cold or flu remedy (without a medical prescription) tell the pharmacist about your asthma and ask them to check that you are using a suitable and safe treatment
  • be wary of using cough mixture if you have a persistent cough - this is a symptom of having a cold but it may also be an early sign that your asthma is getting out of control
  • if you don't feel well, don't try to do too much exercise until you're better
  • above all, if you've been prescribed a preventer treatment remember to take it every day. Then, if you do get a cold or flu, it will have less of an effect on your asthma.

 

I've had asthma since I was a little kid. A gang of kids in my form found out after I had an asthma attack at school and they now tease me and call me ‘puffer boy’. I can't sleep and don't know what to do. | Baljinder, 11

Bullies are cowards who deep down don't feel good about themselves. They try to make themselves feel better by picking on other kids. No one should have to put up with bullying, so don't let them get away with it. Talk to your parents, an older brother or sister, or a teacher, and ask them to help you sort it out.

It may help if a teacher explains a bit about asthma to the whole form so they have a better understanding of what it is like for you. Remember, one in ten young people have asthma so some of your classmates will have asthma too.

I couldn't breathe properly in one of my science lessons and my doctor has just told me I have asthma. What can I do to make sure I don't have another asthma attack at school? | Jack, 13

So you've just been diagnosed with asthma - don't worry there's plenty of things you can do to keep it under control and prevent another asthma attack. Always keep your reliever medicine with you, and leave a spare inhaler with your teacher or school nurse. Make sure you label your inhalers with your name and class in case they get lost. Don't rely on borrowing a mate's inhaler, because yours is specially chosen for you!

Always take your asthma medicine on school trips, and be aware that you could come across new triggers. Try not to feel embarrassed about taking your medicine - it's really no big deal.

Look out for things that might trigger your asthma, and don't suffer in silence. Common triggers you might come across at school include exercise; sawdust in woodwork classes; fumes from chemicals in science; paint in art (or newly-painted classrooms); furry classroom pets; and glue, felt-tips, and Tippex.

I have really important exams coming up to see if I can get into a new school. The school work and pressure is making my asthma bad and I'm scared it's going to get a lot worse. What can I do? | Lana, 11

Exam time can mean mega stress for most people, but if you have asthma, stress can set it off and make things even worse. Summer exams often come at the height of the pollen season, which might also trigger your asthma. The answer is to be prepared:

  • visit your doctor or nurse at least a month before your exams start to discuss your concerns about asthma affecting your exam performance
  • learn to relax, take regular breaks when you're revising, and reward yourself with some fun, like dropping round to see a mate or watching your favourite TV programme
  • take your medicine as it's been prescribed, and keep your inhaler with you during exams;
  • if you still have serious symptoms, that stop you doing as well as you could, talk to your doctor. They might be able to write you a certificate so that your asthma can be taken into account when your papers are marked.