When Should You Send Your Child with Asthma to School?

If your child has asthma, it can be difficult to know when they should go to school and when they should stay home. While your child’s Asthma Action Plan can be helpful in identifying symptoms to watch for, here are a few more tips:

Send your child to school with…

  • Stuffy nose, but no wheezing
  • No difficulty breathing or speaking
  • Peak flow meter score near the target number after medication usage

Keep your child home with…

  • Fever over 100°F
  • Wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath and chest tightness that does not improve after taking quick-relief medication
  • Peak flow meter score below their target number after medication usage
  • Trouble breathing and shortness of breath when speaking – this is fairly serious and requires more immediate action with albuterol and possibly a trip to your child’s physician

If there is any doubt about whether you should send your child to school or keep them home when they are having asthma symptoms, call your child’s primary care provider or asthma specialist, and follow their advice.

To read more about managing your child’s asthma, click here.