Springtime hay fever and thunderstorm asthma
A reminder from the Tintern School Nurses…
With the arrival of glorious Springtime, unfortunately comes with it grass pollen season, lasting from October to December each year. Through this time, we will see a seasonal increase in asthma and hay fever. It also brings the chance of thunderstorm asthma. During this season, people can develop asthma symptoms over a short period of time, caused by high amounts of grass pollen and a certain type of thunderstorm, it is known as epidemic thunderstorm asthma.
We encourage students who suffer from asthma or hay fever to be aware of thunderstorm asthma and how it may affect them. Where possible, our School community will avoid being outside during thunderstorms, especially if there are windy conditions beforehand.
All students with asthma should have an up-to-date Asthma Action Plan completed by their Doctor. Reliever medication for students with asthma should always be carried with them.
Hay fever sufferers are encouraged to take daily anti-histamines to help combat symptoms across this period. Being aware of the daily forecast is important. Tintern First Aid monitor the forecast during the school day to alert our community of risks.
Please see video below which explains thunderstorm asthma, useful for both parents and students to view.
Kylie MacDonald and Maree Morphett | School Nurses
World Mental Health Day
Thursday 10 October was World Mental Health Day, a day that aims to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to consider what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.
On this day, the Wellbeing Team at Tintern ran a staff professional learning session about Mindfulness, outlining the benefits for staff on a personal level as well as the benefits of mindfulness practice for students when incorporated in the classroom. This session involved providing staff with the opportunity to participate in three mindfulness activity stations whilst reflecting on their use in the classroom.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the practice of focusing awareness by paying attention to the present moment with openness, curiosity and without judgement (Kabat-Zinn J, Wherever you Go, There You Are, 1994). Mindfulness is a positive coping technique used to reduce stress and improve mental health.
Benefits of Mindfulness practice
Mindfulness has been scientifically proven to:
- Decrease stress, anxiety and worrying thoughts
- Dramatically improve concentration and memory
- Improve sleep
- Calm the mind and body
- Develop self-awareness and manage emotions
- Develop self-acceptance and confidence
Formal and Informal Mindfulness
Mindfulness can be experienced in a variety of ways including the formal practice of meditations, or in more informal ways such as being fully present in a day-to-day task. Both formal and informal mindfulness practices reduce our stress levels so embracing both practices are beneficial.
Formal practice is mindfulness meditation where you sit, usually with the eyes closed, and focus attention on one thing (e.g. your breathing, the sensations in your body). This can be done as a guided meditation which can be accessed through many apps (e.g. Smiling Minds, Insight Timer).
Informal practice involves directing your attention to the activity you’re undertaking at a particular moment e.g. brushing your teeth, going for a walk, enjoying a hot drink or chatting with a friend.
‘The world needs mindfulness; and in this fast paced, stressed and distracted world, the children of today probably need it more than any previous generation.’
(A/Prof Craig Hassed, Department of General Practice, Coordinator of Mindfulness programs at Monash University).
Examples of Mindfulness techniques
Mindful eating
This involves sitting down at a table and eating a meal without engaging in any other activities – no newspaper, book, TV, radio, music, or talking. Now eat your meal paying full attention to which piece of food you select to eat, how it looks, how it smells, how you cut the food, the muscles you use to raise it to your mouth, the texture and taste of the food as you chew it slowly.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Grounding activity
- 5 things you can see
- 4 things you can feel
- 3 things you can hear
- 2 things you can smell
- 1 thing you can taste
Mindful activities
Colouring, word searches/sudokus, knitting/crocheting, swimming, yoga/pilates, tennis – the list goes on!
Apps
Headspace
Smiling Mind
Calm
Insight Timer
If you have any concerns about your child’s wellbeing that you would like to discuss, please do not hesitate to get in touch with your child’s Pastoral Mentor, Year Level Co-ordinator, or the Counselling Team - Natalie Maguire and Ewa Oaten.
counselling@tintern.vic.edu.au, nmaguire@tintern.vic.edu.au or eoaten@tintern.vic.edu.au
Natalie Maguire and Ewa Oaten | Counsellors
