As part of our commitment to ensure the safety of all students at our school, staff have recently completed an asthma refresher with Asthma Waikato.

Following this we are asking all families who have a child at school who have been diagnosed with asthma or who have been prescribed an inhaler, to please let us know. As part of our school policy we are required to have all known asthmatics on a register and to hold at school for each child:

• An up-to-date Asthma Action Plan (completed by a GP)
• A clean, new spacer (e-chamber preferred) and reliever inhaler (in date) OR Symbicort if that is the inhaler your child uses as a reliever 

Asthma Waikato accepts self-referrals and their services are free. They provide one-to-one asthma education and support to families of children aged 0-15 with asthma living in the Waikato. They can ensure your child is on the right medications, the right dose, the right device and that you and they understand what asthma is and how to manage it best. For example, did you know that needing to use your reliever (blue or grey usually) inhaler more than twice a week can be dangerous and can also mean asthma is uncontrolled? Or that preventer inhalers have to be given morning and night, every day even when well to be effective?

We highly recommend all our families with children with asthma get in touch with Asthma Waikato and self-refer for a consultation with them. Self-referrals can be made through their website www.asthmawaikato.org.nz, or pick up a flyer from the school office.