Bridging the Gap in Michigan Schools by Strengthening Asthma Care

By Ghadir Katato and Rima Aljundi on August 20, 2024

Asthma is a significant public health concern that affects 8.4% of children in Michigan, higher than the national average. Asthma prevalence is even higher in Detroit, which is the largest school district in Michigan. Children with asthma don't just have a chronic health illness, their education may also be severely compromised, with data strongly suggesting increased school absenteeism and frequent hospitalizations. The Michigan State Board of Education created a policy which addresses asthma training, education, and appropriate allocation of resources to create an "asthma-friendly" environment in schools. However, there lie a few gaps between the policy and the implementation within the schools that need to be addressed.

We need to bridge the gap! We strongly support the Michigan State Board of Education's policy and advocate for its stronger implementation and increased funding:
1) All students with asthma should have an updated asthma action plan, be able to carry their inhaler at school and have access to a trained health professional for urgent asthma needs.
2) School staff should be properly trained to recognize asthma exacerbation symptoms and respond to asthma-related emergencies.
3) Our schools should be a clean, smoke-free environment to prevent asthma complications.

It's time to take action! Our children spend the majority of their time at school, making it a critical environment for managing asthma. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services must allocate more funding for improved asthma education and resources in school as soon as possible. Increased funding should be utilized to facilitate collaborations between community pediatricians, the Asthma Initiative of Michigan (AIM) and the Michigan Association of School Nurses in both educational and training initiatives to optimize comprehensive asthma management within our schools. Let's make our schools 'asthma friendly' to foster a safer and healthier environment where Michigan's children can thrive.