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Hello, I have a new mindee due to start soon, and parents have informed me that they mindee is under investigation for Asthma, mindee is just 2.
Mindee currently is given the inhaler morning and night, and during the day if ever required. What do I need to do paperwork wise, I have no experience of Asthma atall, do I need any training! I find it a little worrying?
Many thanks
Quote:
Originally Posted by emmas
I thought they couldn't diagnose asthma until children are much older?
My local authority (Hampshire) has a document called 'Healthcare Needs and Critical Incident Guidance for Early Years Setting' which has flow charts and forms to use. I expect your local authority has something similar. Aside to paperwork I would want to have some training- possibly from the child's gp/ practice nurse.
Link to the page- its one of the links in the list.
Safeguarding
https://www.asthma.org.uk/advice/chi...e/action-plan/
See info here, should be a care-plan in place, or request one. Use info from this link to guide the parents towards what you need.
I have no family experience of asthma, so it's not something I'm used to. What I do is I draw up a simple care plan for any mindees with asthma or suspected asthma.
Off the top of my head I ask things like:
what are the signs the child needs their inhaler
are there any known triggers
do parents want me to contact them before giving the inhaler
at what stage do I give the inhaler
how many puffs
how long do I wait to see an improvement
if no improvement is shown, how long do I leave it before taking further action
would further action be - give more puffs, contact parents or seek medical advice
do parents want me to contact them each time I use the inhaler, or just let them know at the end of the day.
I then have parental permission to administer the inhaler and get them to sign each day that it's been used.
I do now have experience of using an inhaler and spacer, but I still get parents to show me how to do it.
And I stress to parents that they must tell me if the child has used their inhaler that morning, what time, number of puffs etc. That's all noted on their medication record.
I'll just add a few observations rather than repeat the excellent advice already given.
Make sure the child has a spacer appropriate to their age/size. Otherwise, most children will lose most of the salbutamol gas the moment it leaves the inhaler.
I strongly advise that you require (not "request") the family to provide an inhaler and spacer for exclusive use at your setting. Thy can get additional ones prescribed at no cost for a child who attends multiple settings, plus one to keep in their car; GPs are entirely used to this. The alternative is they schlep the darned things from place to place and ultimately forget. This leaves you in a dilemma:
- either you take the child off mum's/school's/preschool's hands with no medication and then you are persoally responsible if they have an attack and no inhaler to hand, or...
- refuse to accept the child and inevitably get accused of being "petty" and "inflexible".
Working checking out the new guidelines with your first aid trainer. I did my PFA refresher last month and we are now allowed/required to assist a person using an inhaler (no longer just find it and hand it to them.) I was told we can now keep them in a first aid box. Indeed, pharmacies are now issuing inhalers/spacers free to schools.
Yes, I believe that's correct I thought the same, they are saying it's most likely due to symptoms, but it isn't an actual diagnosis as yet.Quote:
Originally Posted by mumofone
Thanks , I will get in contact with mine and see what assistance they can offer, thanks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lal
Great advice thanks, it makes sense to have meds that stay with me, I might contact my first aid training and see if they have any additional advice.Quote:
Originally Posted by bunyip
I would recommend getting proper training. I've had 3 children with inhalers. Only one parent showed me how to do it properly.
My little girl has recently been given inhalers and the doctor who prescribed them said that the pharmacist will go through the correct use of an inhaler. Despite being asthmatic myself and growing up with an asthmatic grandmother and mother, I still took her. It might be worth asking the local pharmacist for advise and some instruction on inhalers or even asking at the doctors if you can make an appointment with the asthma so nurse for some advice.