IHSA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee Special Topics
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IHSA Sports Medicine: Asthma Information
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Asthma definition
Asthma is a condition that affects the airways, the small tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. People with asthma have airways that are almost always red and sensitive (inflamed). These airways can react badly when you have a cold or other viral infection, or when you come into contact with an asthma triggers.
Exercise is a common trigger for asthma. Research indicates that about 80% of people with asthma have symptoms triggered by exercise. For most people exercise is one of a number of different triggers. Exercise induced asthma can affect anybody with asthma, children, adults, recreational sportspeople or elite athletes.
Signs of an Asthma episode
Asthma episodes can come about any number of ways. A "trigger" will impede your lungs ability to work effectively and bring about the onset of an asthma episode. Episodes can also be of varied strengths. Some can be mild, while others can be more serious.
During an asthma episode people will often comment or complain of: tightness in their chest, excessive coughing, shortness of breath or wheezing sounds while breathing.
Asthma triggers
Asthma symptoms can be triggered by several factors, including: allergens or irritants, viral or sinus infections, exercise, reflux disease, medications, foods or emotional anxiety.
Some substances do not trigger allergies but can nonetheless aggravate the nose and airways. These substances, called irritants, can also trigger asthma. Some examples of irritants include: air pollutants (such as tobacco and wood smoke), occupational exposure to allergens, dust, gases, or fumes, strong odors or sprays, other airborne particles like coal or chalk dust, and changing weather conditions, such as changes in temperature and humidity.
What to do when someone is having an asthma episode?
1. Get their inhaler for them.
2. Find an adult.
3. Call 911 or other emergency assistance if their breathing doesn't get better.
IHSA Asthma Policy
Effective with the start of the 2002-03 school year, the Illinois High School Association adopted the following language to be included in the terms and conditions for all state series competitions offered by the association:
"A student with asthma may posses and use his/her medication during an IHSA competition, while under the supervision of school personnel, provided the school meets the outlined procedures of self administration in the Illinois School Code."
Asthma Resources for schools, students and parents
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National Asthma Educationa and Prevention Program (NAEPP)
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