Coaches Underprepared for Asthma in Kids

Does your child’s coach know what to do if your son or daughter has an asthma attack on the field or court?

The answer may surprise you: Probably not.XT

Only half of kids’ sports coaches say they know more than one symptom of asthma. And a third say they aren’t trained well enough to deal with asthma in their players, according to a new study.

Nearly 10 percent of U.S. children have asthma, according to the CDC.

Exercise or cold weather can trigger symptoms. For most, those symptoms can be controlled in advance or by taking medication during the activity.

Ill-informed on asthma symptoms

Mary E. Cataletto, M.D., at Winthrop University Hospital, surveyed 122 coaches who worked with children ages 6 to 18. The sports represented were baseball, football, lacrosse, soccer, and swimming.

Very few coaches could recall a single action they could take to help an athlete who was having an asthma attack.

In addition, many said they had no ready access to medical help during practice or games. Only half of the coaches had taken either a basic life-support or first-aid training course during the last two years.

Most coaches felt the students or their parents should be responsible for carrying medication, and most didn't want to be directly involved in giving the medication to the child.

But often, children or teens don't let their coaches know they use asthma medications. Just 42 percent of the coaches said they had been told when a child had taken medication for asthma symptoms.

Talk with your child’s coach

Experts agree that parents need to talk with their child's coach to make sure the coach understands asthma and what symptoms to look for in their child.

"Asthma is the most common chronic disease in kids,” says Shean Aujla, M.D., at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. “And you can have mild asthma but still have a severe asthma attack and end up in the hospital.”

Tell the coach when your child has taken medication before practice or a game – and let him or her know each time your child needs a rescue medication.

Dr. Aujla says she sometimes writes letters for her patients that explain what asthma is and why it's important that the child receive his or her medication.

Always talk with your health care provider to find out more information.