Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Asthma Can Be Harmful To Children, Adults Alike

About 17 million people in the U.S. have asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Asthma, or difficulty in breathing, is the leading cause of childhood hospitalizations. Each year two million people are rushed to the emergency room and 5,000 people die from asthma.

If you have a child with asthma, you're not alone. Childhood asthma in the U.S. has dramatically increased in the last 15 years. One in 13 children suffers from asthma; that's about five million children. The most rapid rise in asthma has occurred in children under five, an increase of over 160%. Asthma is a leading cause of school absenteeism in this country with over ten million missed days per year.

Last year the National Academy of Sciences issued a major report on asthma, which concluded that exposure to indoor pollutants is an important contributor to the asthma problem in this nation. The good news is that asthma attacks can be prevented. Although we don't yet have a cure for asthma there are steps parents can take in their homes to prevent asthma attacks.

If your child, or for that matter, any person, has asthma, you should see a doctor to develop an asthma management plan that includes both medical and environmental management. People are likely to be aware that a doctor will prescribe proper medications. But it is also critical to identify the environmental triggers that can lead to asthma attacks.

Americans spend about 90% of their time indoors, so controlling indoor environmental can help prevent asthma attacks. Parents need to reduce their children's exposure to indoor environmental triggers such as dust mites, cockroaches and other pests, molds and pets, but especially secondhand smoke

The Environmental Protection Agency has found that children who breathe secondhand smoke are at a higher risk for having more severe and frequent asthma attacks, bronchitis, pneumonia, sneezing, coughing spells and ear infections.

Breathing secondhand smoke can be harmful to your children's health. You can protect them by making your home smoke-free. According to the National Cancer Institute, there are links between secondhand smoke and new cases of childhood asthma, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and in behavioral and cognitive problems in children.

If you must smoke, choose to smoke outside. Moving to another room or opening a window is not enough to protect a child with asthma from secondhand smoke. Children with asthma are particularly vulnerable to secondhand smoke.

Secondhand smoke is an irritant, which may trigger an asthma attack in adults and children. This is a trigger that you can take action immediately to eliminate in your home.

For more information on a healthy home environment contact the Clark County Extension Service at 870-246-2281.