Blackshear Students Graduate from Asthma Education Program
Blackshear Elementary Buffalo parents can breathe easy knowing that their students completed the Asthma Open Airway for Schools (OAS) program from the American Lung Association.
Blackshear nurse Rachel Murphy, RN, BSN brought OAS to the campus this year in collaboration with Harris County Public Health in order to engage students in their own health.
Twelve students completed the program and graduated this week with the skills and knowledge they need to detect the warning signs of asthma, avoid their triggers, and make decisions about their health.
“Asthma is the most common childhood chronic illness and parents may not be provided the necessary resources to manage it by their doctor,” Klein ISD Health Services Coordinator Yvonne Clarke said. “Nurse Murphy is closing that gap and supporting the Blackshear community by bringing this free program in.”
OAS consists of six 40-minute group lessons that educate and empower children through a fun and interactive approach to asthma self-management including group discussion, stories, and games. Our students can now:
- Take steps to prevent asthma symptoms
- Recognize the symptoms of asthma when they first occur, and carry out appropriate management steps
- Discuss and solve asthma-related problems with parents, medical professionals, teachers and friends
- Feel more confident about taking care of their asthma on a daily basis
“My daughter joined the program to help educate her about her asthma,” Buffalo parent Kacey Naber said. “It has been fantastic! I’ve noticed that she has become much more aware of her triggers and she isn’t so scared to tell people about it. Before, she thought it made her different in a bad way but now she is more comfortable talking about it and asking for help if she needs it. I wish this was available in every school for children who live with asthma.”
Since there is no cure for asthma, managing the symptoms is immensely important. This can be difficult for children who aren’t educated on the health condition – asthma is the third leading cause of hospitalization among children. Not only is this a major health concern, but it can also equate to lost instructional time and can have a negative impact on a child’s education.
“The goal was to help the students understand their individual asthma better,” Nurse Murphy said. “It has been a blast watching all of these children grow in their knowledge and I can’t express enough how wonderful it is as a school nurse to see students become masters of their asthma and gain control.”
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Klein ISD is a school district in Klein, Texas, located in northwestern Harris County. The district spans approximately 88 square miles and serves more than 53,000 students in 33 elementary schools, 10 intermediate campuses, one high school program of choice, and 5 high schools.
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