Asthma
If your child has been diagnosed with asthma it is critical that parents and guardians complete the ECFS Asthma Form. The information provided in this plan will provide your divisional nurses with standing orders from your child's physician for both routine care purposes and for managing acute asthma attacks.
This information includes:
The type, dosage, and indications for medication administration;
Repeat or supplemental administration;
Exercise information;
Self-administration information.
When do the nurses need my child's prescription medication?
Prescription medication used for acute asthma attacks emergencies or during the routine course of the school day should be provided to the divisional nurse's office no later than Friday, September 22, 2023.
Can my child carry their own inhaler?
Students in Fieldston Middle and Fieldston Upper can carry and self-administer their meter-dosed inhalers when granted parent permission on their Asthma Form. By granting your child permission, the parent certifies that the child is an independent administrator of their medication including timing and technique and assumes all liability related to its use.
Students in Ethical Culture and Fieldston Lower students are not permitted to carry prescribed inhalers until determined by parents, your child's physician, and the school nurse.
Asthma Form.pdfStock Albuterol
In accordance with NYS DOE policy, the School does carry stock albuterol for use by students. The purpose of such stock is to ensure the medication is available when the student needs it should their own prescribed albuterol run out before the parent/guardian can provide a replacement.
In order for a student to use the stock medication they must have:
A patient-specific order from their provider for albuterol that also authorizes the use of the school’s stock albuterol.
Written parent/guardian consent for the stock albuterol to be administered to or taken by their child.
Spacers
A spacer slows down the medicine delivered from a metered-dose inhaler. This way the medicine stays in the spacer and your child can breathe it into her lungs. Without a spacer, the medicine sprays directly into your child’s mouth and throat, and less of it reaches the lungs. A spacer is also called an aerosol-holding chamber.
AeroChamber® and OptiChamber® are examples of a spacer.
You should try to give your child her inhaled medicine with a spacer whenever possible. This is the most effective way to deliver the medicine.
A spacer should always be used when your child is taking corticosteroid inhaler. When corticosteroid medicine is sprayed directly into the mouth, the medicine deposits in the mouth and throat. This can lead to irritation and sometimes infection in the mouth.
Each child should have her own spacer. Do not share spacers with other children.
Understanding Asthma
How to Use an Inhaler