Yes, all 50 states have establish laws regarding the right to carry and administer asthma medications in schools according to the Allergy and Asthma Network- Mothers of Asthmatics (AANMA). Having immediate access to an asthma inhaler can be the difference between stopping an asthma attack and having to leave school for emergency treatment.
Many of the laws addressing the right to carry a medication can be accessed from the AANMA website. The laws will vary somewhat from state to state, so make sure you understand your state's specifications.
You never know when your child may encounter an asthma trigger, and he could be exposed without ever knowing it. As a result, there may not be much time before an asthma attack starts. Carrying the asthma medication will allow your child to administer the medicine as soon as possible and prevent a worsening of symptoms.
Asthma medications are often kept in a school nurse's office. This is a good place for medication to be kept, as your child -- as many children -- may not do a good job of keeping track of his belongings, and thus may lose the inhaler before he needs it. On the other hand, any delay in using the medication can be harmful to a child struggling to breathe. Knowing that it will take a few minutes to either get to the nurse's office or have someone bring a medication from the nurse's office can increase stress, worsening asthma symptoms.
You may want to keep in mind your child's maturity level when deciding whether or not to have him carry the medication, store it with the nurse -- or both (a back-up is never a bad thing).
Sources:
Allergy and Asthma Network- Mothers of Asthmatics. Accessed August 14, 2010.Medications at School.
