Kids who have asthma might face everyday issues such as persistent coughs, whistling sounds when they breathe, and difficulty catching their breath. These challenges can affect how well they pay attention during lessons and hinder them from fully engaging in schoolyard games or athletic pursuits.
Untreated asthma can result in severe episodes that make it challenging for students to focus or engage in physical exercises. At times, these episodes might demand urgent healthcare intervention and could call for an emergency department visit or hospital stay, thereby interrupting regular school participation.
Asthma-related school absences can have adverse effects on academic performance since students lose instructional time and might lag behind academically. Additionally, this absence can impact friendships, participation in physical and social events, and overall quality of life for children with asthma.
In certain instances, overly protective approaches toward children with asthma or the stigmatization associated with the condition may result in their exclusion from various activities, which can then contribute to higher rates of absence.
Research indicates that asthma-related absences occur more frequently among students who come from lower-income backgrounds or study at educational institutions where a significant portion of the student body hails from economically disadvantaged households.
Approximately five to ten percent of Nigerian schoolchildren suffer from childhood asthma, and an additional three to five percent may be living with unrecognized or undiagnosed cases. According to GINA, fourteen percent of school-aged kids experienced at least one instance of wheezing within the last year.
Dr. Bankole Kuti, a pediatrician from Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, examined the various challenges, risks, and opportunities related to education for Nigerian children with asthma. He highlighted that these kids encounter numerous difficulties in educational settings, potentially impacting both their academic achievements and overall well-being.
“The difficulties and hazards faced by students with asthma at school encompass bullying and mistreatment, encountering triggers both outside and within the educational setting, inadequate or completely absent asthma management facilities in schools, insufficient understanding among educators and caretakers regarding pediatric asthma, leading to ineffective guidance related to asthma and higher rates of missed classes,” stated the review featured in the Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice.
In Nigeria, students commute to school through crowded conditions—walking along bustling roadways, riding on motorbikes and bicycles, or squeezing into overfilled, inadequately ventilated school buses. These travel scenarios expose children to harmful particles and toxic fumes each day as they journey back and forth from home to school, potentially worsening asthma symptoms and complicating efforts to manage these issues effectively.
However, asthma should not lead to missed days at school or work or serve as a justification for being reassigned from distant locations within the National Youth Service Corp.
The head of the Pulmonary Unit at University College Hospital, Dr. Olumide Sogaolu, stated that there are efficient inhaler medications available for treating asthma.
At the 2025 World Asthma Day event organized by the Pulmonary Unit at University College Hospital in partnership with the hospital’s Asthma Club, he delivered his speech at the facility.
As he states, “There isn’t a definitive cure for asthma, but it can be effectively managed over time. Education plays a crucial role here. People with asthma should understand what sets off their condition and learn strategies to steer clear of these triggers.”
He mentioned that using asthma inhalers along with avoiding known triggers can prevent an asthmatic attack. This is because inhalers effectively deliver medication directly to the lungs, where it is needed most, thereby supporting respiratory function immediately when necessary.
Dr. Sogaolu mentioned that although asthma can emerge at any stage of life, it typically begins more frequently during younger years. This condition leads numerous individuals to encounter asthmatic signs such as persistent coughs, constricted chests, whistling breath sounds, and trouble with respiration. These symptoms may be prompted by irritants like smoke, dust, industrial pollutants, pollen, cockroach allergens, and shifts in weather conditions.
Additionally, Dr. Emmanuel Adesokan, a consulting lung specialist at UCH, Ibadan, mentioned that asthma medication in pill form is not effective and may lead to numerous side effects since the drug initially enters the stomach, dissolves, circulates through the bloodstream, and spreads throughout the body to reach the lungs where it’s supposed to act.
The Deputy Director of Pharmaceutical Services at the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan, Mrs Miriam Kayode-Edward, has affirmed that generic forms of their asthma medications are reliable and patients should not exclusively seek branded versions which might elevate the risk of using counterfeit or low-quality asthma drugs.
Nevertheless, she encouraged every individual with asthma to sign up for the National Health Insurance so that the program could cover their medical expenses and drugs, thereby enhancing their management of asthma.
Asthma drugs prescribed by doctors can effectively control symptoms; however, kids might resist taking their medicine at school or struggle with administering it themselves. Nonetheless, Mrs. Kayode-Edward emphasized that adherence to their medication regimen is crucial.
Additionally, Mrs Grace Adekoya, who serves as a deputy director of nursing, highlighted that asthma can lead to significant social, physical, emotional, and psychological issues for children, along with emotional challenges arising from asthma-induced physical restrictions and activities.
“There might be issues such as low self-esteem, fear of school, nightmares, and instances of bullying at school. Students who frequently experience severe asthma attacks during school hours can face isolation and exclusion from various physical activities organized by their peers, teachers, and other staff members due to an overly protective environment,” she explained.
Research suggests that consistent monitoring, adherence to asthma medication routines, along with factors like classroom overcrowding, moisture levels in the room, and exposure to animal hair in the educational setting play crucial roles in managing asthma effectively.
Tackling asthma-induced absences at schools in Nigeria necessitates a multifaceted strategy, encompassing enhanced asthma care, increased awareness amongst staff members, and overcoming possible societal and cultural obstacles.
ALSO SEE: Asthma – Precautions
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