School praised for asthma initiative

A NORTHSIDE school has been praised for embracing an asthma-friendly initiative.

An Asthma Information Evening was held recently at St Brigid’s Girls’ National School, Killester, where it was announced they got a bronze award for becoming the first asthma-friendly school in Dublin.

Asthma nurse specialist Pam Quinn addressed a full house of parents, teachers and pupils from the school.

Ms Quinn highlighted how big an issue asthma is in Ireland and how Irish people are predisposed to the condition due to environmental and genetic factors and how there is one death per week due to asthma.  

She said the key to addressing this is education and awareness programmes in prevention, proper management of symptoms and knowing how to support someone having an asthma attack.  

Ms Quinn explained how one in five children in Ireland suffer from asthma, some diagnosed, some not.

She highlighted the need for more schools like St Brigid’s to become asthma-friendly by using a collaborate approach between school and home in managing a child’s symptoms.

She said this starts by parents ensuring that teachers are aware of their child’s condition and everyone being aware of the 5 Step Rule in case of an asthma attack, namely:   

• Take two puffs of reliever inhaler (usually blue), one puff at a time

•  Sit up and stay calm.

•  Take slow steady breaths.

• If there is no improvement, take one puff of reliever inhaler every minute. Adults and children over six years can take up to 10 puffs in 10 minutes, and children under six years take up to sixpuffs in 10 minutes.

• Call 999 or 112 if symptoms do not improve after 10 minutes or if you are worried.  Repeat step 4 if an ambulance does not arrive within 10 minutes.

Sarah O'Connor, chief executive of the Asthma Society, encouraged people to call the asthma advice line 1850 44 54 64 and log onto www.asthma.ie for more information and to ask about information days at their local pharmacies too.

The evening was organised and lead by Beamont woman Lorraine Nolan Daly, from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, as part of her MSc in Leadership studies. 

Lorraine has a personal interest in this area, having experienced her mother’s severity of asthma symptoms for many years. Her mother, Sheila Nolan from Artane, also attended the meeting.

Lorna Diffley, Principal of St Brigid’s Girls’ National School, highlighted the importance of asthma education and awareness at primary level education, as this can carry through to their second and third level education. She also highlighted the enthusiastic atmosphere displayed by the schoolchildren to learn more of this condition. 

“We are very proud of the school becoming the first Dublin primary school on the Asthma-Friendly Schools Programme (AFSP) and achieving the Asthma-Friendly Schools bronze award,” said Ms Diffley.

“We must commend the work of Lorraine (RCSI) and her collaboration with the Asthma Society of Ireland and wish them luck in promoting awareness in other schools around Ireland.”