Some schools limiting use of asthma inhalers

Back-to-school time means a flare-up of asthma problems in children, but students may not be getting the access they need to their medication -- despite.

American Lung Association recently found that nearly three quarters of parents of children who bring so-called "relief inhalers" to school say that school officials do not allow the children to keep the medication in their desks or pockets.

Schools are limiting access to the medication, which opens breathing passages quickly in the case of an asthma attack, despite laws in 46 U.S. states, including Illinois, requiring that self-administration of asthma drugs be allowed in public and private schools.

Schools' restrictive interpretation of these laws, often requiring that students seek permission from the nurse to administer the medication, could lead to emergencies, says Norman Edelman, ALA's chief medical officer.

Children should be able to use their inhalers as soon as needed, he says. "The sooner a bronchospasm is addressed, the easier it is to control. If you let it go on, inflammation increases and it's kind of a vicious cycle."