Asthma Education Program                

Asthma is the number one chronic disease among students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.  Over 11,000 CMS students have been identified with asthma. 

The 2009 CMS Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance survey data indicated that 18% of Middle School and 19% High school students reported that they have asthma.

Asthma also is the number one reason for missed school days for children with chronic diseases.  In the United States, students with asthma miss over 10 million school days each year. In an average classroom 30 students 3 students may have asthma. Several students with asthma may go undiagnosed or unidentified.

If asthma symptoms are uncontrolled, students with asthma may:               

• Lose sleep because of coughing at night and then be tired the next day at school. 
• Have a hard time in school or physical activities
• Avoid physical activity, fearing that it may trigger an asthma attack
• Avoid taking their asthma medication because they do not want to be seen as “different.”
•  Express feelings of embarrassment, frustration and isolation.

If your child has asthma, it is very important to tell your child’s school nurse, teacher, coach, and caregivers. 

 The Asthma Education Program is a partnership between Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and the Mecklenburg County Health Department, through funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Division of Adolescent and School Health (CDC/DASH).

The goals of the Asthma Education Program are to:

• Create a safe, supportive learning environment;
• Increase student participation in academic and school activities;
• Improve school attendance 
• Build lifelong self-management skills for children with asthma.