Accurately assessing symptom severity (Tables 1 and 2) forms the foundation of appropriate treatment (BTS/ SIGN, 2014). School nurses could consider the following when evaluating children with AAE or developing policies: n The degree of agitation and level of consciousness— staff caring for a child experiencing an AAE should offer ‘calm reassurance’. Nevertheless, some children with severe AAEs do not appear especially distressed (BTS/SIGN, 2014). n Degree of breathlessness—whether or not the child can complete a sentence is an important indicator of severity (Tables 1 and 2) (BTS/SIGN, 2014; Pollart et al, 2011). n Pulse rate—tachycardia usually increases as asthma worsens. However, heart rate may fall just before death from asthma (BTS/SIGN, 2014). n Respiratory rate and whether the child uses accessory muscles to aid respiration. Palpation of neck muscles can indicate the use of accessory muscles (BTS/SIGN, 2014). n Wheezing, which might become biphasic or less apparent as the airways obstruction increases (BTS/SIGN, 2014). In addition, any of the following might indicate that the AAE is potentially life-threatening and the school should call an ambulance (BTS/SIGN, 2014): n Confusion n Cyanosis n Exhaustionn Hypotension n PEF <33% of best or predicted n Poor respiratory effort n Silent chest n For completeness (schools do not have blood gas monitors): peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SpO2) <92%. Often patients who show near-fatal AAE exhibit clinical parameters and inflammation that are ‘more similar to mild-to-moderate, rather than severe’ asthma (Dougherty and Fahy, 2009). Typically, patients who experience near-fatal AAE are more likely to comply poorly with treatment, show worse asthma control and use less corticosteroids than other people with asthma. Therefore, improved education and encouraging use of inhaled corticosteroids might help reduce the incidence of repeated near-fatal AAEs (Dougherty and Fahy, 2009).
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