October 6, 2025, 4:10 p.m.
If your child has had a diagnosis of asthma within the last year, WashU Medicine pulmonologist Katherine Rivera-Spoljaric, MD, recommends they have an inhaler with them at school.
Missouri and Illinois allow school districts to stock undesignated inhalers (inhalers that are not prescribed to a specific student) for school nurses to administer to students. However, that doesn’t mean your child’s school follows that protocol. It’s important to speak with your child’s school nurse and ask if they stock undesignated inhalers.
Students may self-carry an inhaler, but they need approval from their school and physician before doing so.
Another option is to supply your child’s school nurse with a designated inhaler along with an asthma action plan that can be written by your child’s provider. Most schools require a brand-new, sealed inhaler along with a dedicated spacer device.
If your child hasn’t had asthma symptoms in more than a year, talk to their provider about whether an inhaler at school is needed.
