School and Childcare Providers

Teacher talking with her student

Asthma is a leading chronic illness among children and youth in the United States and a leading cause of school absenteeism. Teachers, coaches, day care providers, and educators can help children manage their asthma.

This page provides Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), government, and nongovernment resources for school personnel planning or maintaining an asthma management program.

Controlling Asthma in Schools: Successes of CDCs National Asthma Control Program 
CDC’s National Asthma Control Program (NACP) is doing important work to help children with asthma. We’re supporting initiatives across the country to provide comprehensive asthma control in school settings.

EXHALE Technical Package [PDF – 760 KB]

The EXHALE technical package represents a group of strategies, which, based on the best available evidence, can improve asthma control and reduce health care costs. It is intended as a resource to inform decision-making in communities, organizations, and states.

Strategies for Addressing Asthma in Schools [PDF – 6 MB]
This document provides a compilation of information and resources for implementing asthma programs in schools.

Woman using American Sign Language
Information About Asthma: CDC’s American Sign Language Video for Schools

This American Sign Language (ASL) film, produced by the CDC and the Deaf Wellness Center at the University of Rochester Medical Center, discusses how to manage asthma to help prevent attacks or decrease the overall health effects of this disease. Listen to/Watch this Video… (15:26)

Know How to Use Your Asthma Inhaler

CDC’s National Asthma Control Program created this set of videos to help children with asthma and their families, caregivers, and educators learn how to use an asthma inhaler. The kids in these videos have asthma. Watch them demonstrate the techniques they use to take their medicine. This helps them control their asthma.

CDC’s Healthy Youth! Asthma Web Site

This site describes CDC’s efforts to increase the number of asthma-friendly schools nationwide. It contains information about CDC programs and resources that deal with asthma among youths and attempt to assess school health policies and programs at the state, district, school, and classroom levels. You’ll find the following important resources:

American Association of School Administrators

This association supports strong school system leadership to improve the lives of children.

American Lung Association
  • Asthma-Friendly Schools Initiative
    This toolkit presents a framework and provides the tools for community organizations and schools to ensure that children with asthma are healthy, in school, and ready to learn.
  • Open Airways for Schools
    This is an elementary school education program for children with asthma. A key part of the program is the American Lung Association’s (ALA) facilitation of asthma-care partnerships involving school nurses and educational staff as well as physicians, families, and ALA volunteers.
Athletes and Asthma: The Community Coach’s Role

This online course, developed by the Minnesota Department of Health, guides coaches through scenarios that mimic real-life decisions they face during practices and competitive events.

National Association of School Nurses

This association supports the health and educational success of children and youth by developing and providing leadership to advance school nursing practice by specialized registered nurses.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

This site provides you information about the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program and about asthma according to target audience.

Regional Asthma Management & Prevention

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency—Healthy School Environment Resources

This site provides online resources to help facility managers, school administrators, architects, design engineers, school nurses, parents, and teachers address environmental health issues in schools.