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For
Parents
We
all want good health for ourselves and our children.
Air
quality in the Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan, Winchester and
Frederick County region continues
to be a challenge. When air quality is bad, everyone's respiratory
health is affected. People with chronic respiratory ailments, children,
and the elderly are particularly affected. This is a situation we
desperately need to avoid.
You
owe it to your children and family to learn
more about ground-level ozone and its health
effects on us and on our children.
You
can take action to make our air cleaner
and healthier for us all.
Why
is air quality so important to respiratory health?
- A
person inhales approximately 30 square meters (or 35 pounds) of
air per day
- Exposure
to air pollutants is continuous and involuntary
- Particulate
matter is small enough to penetrate all sites of the respiratory
tract
- Particulate
matter can act as a vector by carrying other air pollutants into
the lungs
Why
are children more affected by ground level ozone?
- Children
breathe faster than adults
- Infants
breathe 40-60 times a minute
- Adults
breathe 16-20 times a minute
- Children
have less control over their environment than adults
- Special
groups of children: premature infants, children with lung disease,
children with heart disease
What
is asthma?
- Asthma
is a chronic health problem
- It
often begins in childhood
- There
is no cure for asthma
- There
is no known cause of asthma
- Sometimes
asthma runs in families
- Asthma
can get better or worse as a child grows older
What
are symptoms of asthma?
- Wheezing
- Coughing
(may be chronic)
- Tightness
in the chest or chest pain
- Feeling
short of breath
- Feeling
tired
- Fast
or heavy breathing
- Trouble
breathing air out of the lungs
What
happens during an asthma attack?
- Air
has trouble getting in and out of a child’s lungs
- The
muscles around the airways tighten and make the airways more narrow
- The
lining of the airways swells
- More
mucus is produced and clogs the airways
Medicines
used to treat asthma
- Bronchodilator:
Relieves symptoms (helps a child to breathe better during an attack
by opening up the airways)
- Anti-inflammatory
medicine: Helps to control symptoms (prevents airway from narrowing,
prevents mucus production)
Who
has asthma?
- 10%
of the U.S. population of children (more than 5 million children)
- Three
times the number of children who had asthma in 1980
- Urban
children
- Rural
children
- Suburban
children
Factors
associated with asthma
- Parents
have a history of allergies
- Allergy
to pet
- Dog
in the home
- Exposure
to environmental tobacco smoke
- Use
of gas stove for heat
- Dust
mite or cockroach allergy
- Being
raised on a farm
How
does asthma impact a child’s life?
- Limitation
to activities such as sports and camping
- Missing
school more often than other children
- Making
frequent trips for medical care to the clinic or emergency room
- Being
admitted to the hospital
What
can trigger an asthma attack?
- Allergic
reactions to dust, pet hair, molds
- Exercise,
running, or playing sports
- Changes
in the weather
- Air
pollution (ground level ozone)
- Colds
or respiratory infections
- Strong
emotional responses or stress
- Tobacco,
pipe, and campfire smoke
What
is exercise-induced asthma?
- An
asthma attack triggered by exercise
- Often
occurs in adolescents with asthma
- Usually
occurs after short periods of intense physical activity
- Symptoms
peak 5 to 10 minutes after stopping exercise
- Cough,
wheezing, chest pain, chest tightness, shortness of breath
How
can I help my child?
- Control
dust and dust mites in the home
- Keep
children out of the basement and other damp, moldy places
- Use
air conditioning when possible
- Keep
children inside on Code Red days
- Do
not allow smoking in your home
- Keep
pets out of the home
- Remove
carpets and stuffed animals
Who
needs to be educated about asthma?
- Patient
(child)
- Parents
and other relatives
- Teachers
and other school personnel
- Child
care providers
- Babysitters
- Parents
of a child’s friends
- Health
care personnel
- Coaches
and gym teachers
Knowledge
is power
- Know
what the air quality index means
- Know
who should stay inside on Code Red and Code Orange days
- Know
the triggers of each child’s asthma
- Know
about each child’s medicines
- Know
when to call or visit the doctor
- Know
when there is an emergency
Other
links to learn more about how the air quality affects your children's
health.
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