SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Schools with Yellowknife Education District No. 1 no longer lock up asthma inhalers in the principal's office, and EpiPens for allergy attacks are kept in the classroom with the teacher.

A child died in his Ontario school in October after an asthma attack. His inhaler was locked in the principal's office and staff couldn't reach it. Both the public and Catholic school boards in Yellowknife allow students to carry their inhalers with them in their backpacks. - photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Student access to asthma inhalers has become a national issue in recent weeks following the death of a 12-year-old Ontario boy after a severe asthma attack at school, Oct. 9. Staff at the Straffordville school were unable to retrieve Ryan Gibbons' inhaler, which had been kept locked in the principal's office.

According to the boy's mother, Sandra Gibbons, it was school policy to keep inhalers locked up and teachers had repeatedly confiscated inhalers from Ryan.

Yellowknifer asked both Yellowknife school districts about their policies, and were told students can carry the inhalers, although Yk1 had only lifted a ban on them outside of the principal's office two years ago.

"We used to keep the inhalers locked in the office, but we don't do that anymore," said Anita Griffore, supervisor of instruction at Yk1.

"They were treated like other medication and kept in the office, but after Public Health encouraged us to change the policy, students are able to carry them on them."

In the Yellowknife Catholic Schools district, the policy has always been the same.

"Students are able to carry them with them in their backpacks," said superintendent Claudia Parker.

Due to the need for fast action during an asthma attack or allergic reaction, inhalers and EpiPens are kept readily available to students.

"With EpiPens, for any children in the elementary schools who need one, (YCS schools have) a box in the classroom where it's kept, and then there's a spare one in the office," said Parker.

"Students carry their own in high school and the younger ones (in middle school) can carry the EpiPen with them, and then we still have extra ones."

The policy for EpiPens is similar at Yk1.

"EpiPens are kept in the classroom. There's an extra one at the office, but with every child who has one, it's kept in the classroom on a bulletin board," said Griffore.

"We keep them readily accessible because it's a timely issue."

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