4. Do the people in charge know when and how much medicine to give your child?
Little kids need people to hold them accountable for their health. They need an adult around who’s going to tell them they need to take their inhaler. Older kids might be more responsible, but even in this case you need an adult around who is going to at least be aware that 14-year-old Jonitha needs to take her medicine at some point during the school day.
READ: Do You Know The ‘Hidden’ Signs of Asthma?
5. Is there an asthma action plan in place?
Children with severe asthma have an asthma action plan. This plan describes what needs to happen in the case of an emergency. It describes what you have to do, who to call and when to call. If your school or childcare agency doesn’t have this in place, then don’t let your child go.
6. Does the community at large know about asthma?
Your child might be the only one in class with asthma. But the whole class needs to know what to do in case their classmate has asthma. In the most ideal setting there will be a person inside of the school or agency that teaches about asthma education.
7. Will my child be safe doing physical activities?
If the gym teacher or camp counselor doesn’t know that your child has asthma, they might be setting them up for failure by asking them to run a mile. A place that’s the right fit for your child will have measures in place to ensure there are modified or alternative activities available for your child.
If you can answer “NO” to any of these childcare settings you might want to rethink your child’s place in the environment. This checklist can mean the difference between life or death. Talk to the leadership at these organizations if they’re lacking in these areas because your child’s safety and wellness should be at the forefront of that organization’s mission.