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Help Students with Asthma Live Healthier Lives

Improving health and school-related outcomes for children with asthma requires integrated care coordination among families, clinicians and school nurses. To meet this need, the AAAAI is offering the School-based Asthma Management Program (SAMPRO™).

“Schools are one of the first places children learn to manage their potentially deadly disease without the guidance of a family member,” said AAAAI Immediate Past-President Robert F. Lemanske, Jr., MD, FAAAAI. “They need to be properly supported to gain necessary, life-long skills.”

The development of SAMPRO™ was one of Dr. Lemanske’s presidential initiatives.

What is SAMPRO™?

SAMPRO™ is a free online toolkit for physicians, school nurses and families. It works to help asthmatic children live healthier lives with a four part system:

  1. Creating a Circle of Support—The Circle of Support is a communication network centered around the child with asthma, consisting of clinicians, school nurses and families. The SAMPRO™ toolkit provides resources to foster good communication among all parties.
  2. Developing and Sharing an Asthma Action Plan—School nurses need to be on the same page as the child’s doctor in the event of an asthma attack. The toolkit includes a standardized Asthma Action Plan in English and Spanish.
  3. Comprehensive Education—Educational materials for school personnel and students are available in the toolkit. The materials include posters, games and role playing activities.
  4. Assessing the Environment—Only 34% of schools work with the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure students are breathing clean air.1 SAMPRO™ encourages school personnel to take a closer look at possible asthma triggers and develop an Indoor Air Quality program that includes asthma management strategies.

What Resources Can I Use in My Practice?

There are several forms that are designed to aid communication between families and school nurses. The toolkit includes a printable worksheet with student care instructions for school staff and families to follow on an everyday and emergency basis. These forms are available in both English and Spanish.

There are also resources for parents and kids. Parents can take advantage of the Asthma Visit Checklist, a list that helps parents discuss how well the disease is controlled both at home and in school. There are also links to resources on asthma, how to use an inhaler and educational activities for children like Iggy and the Inhalers.

Legislative Effort

The AAAAI is working to make SAMPRO™ part of school practice. H.R. 4662 would leverage existing Federal asthma grants to encourage improved school-based management of asthma. The bill has already attracted 53 bipartisan co-sponsors.

Recognition

SAMPRO™ was developed in collaboration with a variety of stakeholders including the National Association of School Nurses. View the complete list here. It is endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics; American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology; American Thoracic Society; Allergy & Asthma Network; and the National Association of School Nurses.

Click here to access the SAMPRO™ toolkit and more information.