Children get bullied for all sorts of reasons. Some kids have a mean spirit that can be difficult to reason
with. They will find any excuse to make fun of others
who seem more vulnerable than themselves. As parents, we can help our children any way that we can. This includes reducing the ways in which they can be bullied. You can start by improving the air quality in their school! How can this help your child, you may ask? Well read on to find out!
Asthma
Children with asthma sometimes find it harder to do physical activities than children without it. They cannot run for a long period of time, and will occasionally need to take breaks. Using inhalers can be a cause for bullying, because the child is seen to be ‘different.’ Humidity affects asthma negatively because there is additional moisture in the air, making it difficult to breathe properly. This can trigger asthma attacks and cause the child to need their inhaler. When children are in school, they should not need to worry about the air quality affecting them.
Dehumidifiers
Schools should have dehumidifiers if they are in environments with lots of humidity. The school board needs to allocate a sufficient budget with the children who have asthma in mind. Parents need to investigate the equipment and see if it is good enough for their child. You know your child best, and you have most likely consulted a doctor about their asthma. If the school has not purchased strong enough dehumidifiers, they are probably not doing much good for your child’s asthma. High quality dehumidifiers may come at a steep price, and the school board may be reluctant to pay. So now the question is: how to convince them that it is worth it?
Convincing the Board
Convincing the school board might be tricky, but it is doable! The key is to rally others to your side. Start talking to other parents and show them the importance of having a good dehumidifier in the school. If the other parents also have children with asthma, this should be an easy step. They will also want what is best for the children. You can then bring up the topic at the next school board meeting. Say your piece, and request that they consider your point of view. Hopefully, you now have won them over!
Conclusion
Having asthma during childhood is quite common. However, we can make it as easy for our children as we possibly can because they have enough social issues to deal with as it is. To avoid being bullied about asthma, it is important that the child be in a comfortable environment so that they do not need to use their inhaler as much. Seeing as children spend most of their days in school, it is crucial that there be a dehumidifier in the building. If there is already one, the school board may be against upgrading it. Use the power of voice to convince them otherwise!
