Asthma is the leading cause of missed school days in Arizona. Before we had stock inhalers available at our schools, I had to send many children home for asthma exacerbations. Those with severe attacks often ended up in an ambulance going to the hospital as we had no means to treat and stabilize them so parents could get them to care. Now that we have a rescue inhaler available to all students, we are able to treat the child immediately, thus avoiding costly hospital expenses and increased loss of time for the child in school and for parents at work. We can use one inhaler for many children with the use of individual spacers, making it is extremely cost effective. To have this life rescuing medication available to immediately treat a child in distress is so reassuring to the child and the family.
