Medical specialists in the UAE are urging schools to put in place clear, written asthma action plans so staff can respond more quickly when a student has a breathing attack. According to a study covering more than 3,400 schoolchildren in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, asthma affects around 12 percent of children aged 6 to 7 and nearly 10 percent of teenagers aged 13 to 14 in the UAE.
Doctors stress that even a short delay in reaching a reliever inhaler can allow a child's condition to worsen significantly. One respiratory specialist based in Sharjah said inhalers need to be accessible within minutes, not after staff search an office or a locked cupboard. Teachers, physicians add, should also be trained to recognise early, exercise-induced symptoms such as coughing and wheezing before they escalate.
Other doctors working in UAE private hospitals are calling on every school to draw up an individual action plan for each student with asthma, covering known triggers, warning symptoms, prescribed medication and dosage, and step-by-step emergency response instructions. These plans, they say, should be reviewed regularly and updated immediately whenever a child's treatment or symptoms change.
Warning signs that parents and school staff are advised to watch for include severe breathlessness, difficulty speaking in full sentences, blue or grey-tinged lips, and a lack of improvement after using a reliever inhaler. Doctors recommend that parents confirm directly with their child's school that an up-to-date, accessible asthma action plan is on file before the condition becomes an emergency.