Asthma & Children

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Asthma is the leading chronic illness for children in the United States. And, it is the leading cause for school absenteeism. Over 5.3 million children suffer from asthma, and over 5,000 children die a year from asthma. Less tragically, but still important, asthma is responsible for 10 million lost school
days each year.

Asthma begins early in life when a child is exposed to an allergen. The body begins treating this allergen as a threat. Whenever the irritant enters the body, B cells begin producing antibody molecules called IgE. The antibodies attach themselves to mast cells which spew out inflammatory chemicals like histamine. When this happens in the upper airways, nothing more happens than a runny nose. But when the particles are smaller than 2.5 microns, they are drawn deeper into the lungs, causing the bronchioles to react to the histamine by swelling and filling with mucus, making them less able to hold air.

allergy symptoms Children breathe a proportionately greater volume of air than adults. Therefore, they inhale more pollutants per pound of body weight. They also retain 35% more pollution per unit of lung surface area than adults. Their height and play habits also expose them to more pollutants such as car exhaust. Those particles that are heavier than air concentrate in their breathing zones near ground level. Children have narrower airways and their lungs develop throughout childhood. Pollutants that have only a slight response in adults can significantly obstruct the airways of young children.

The most common inflammation for asthmatic children is environmental tobacco smoke. Other irritants include dustmites, cockroaches, molds, dust, pet dander, and pollens.

For a list of common indoor air contaminants, Click Here

While air pollution is a large part of the problem, outdoor air pollution has actually improved in many parts of the world. The real problem for children is indoor air pollution. Indoor air quality is rarely monitored or regulated, even though we spend 90% of our time indoors.

In the 1960's children spent, on an average, three hours a day outside playing. Today, children spend less than two hours outdoors. Nowadays, our houses are "tighter"--keeping out outdoor air, and carpets along with indoor pets are more common than ever before. All of these have increased the level of airborne dusts, dustmite excreta, and other trapped airborne irritants.

Medication is an important part of asthma treatment, but there are things you can to do to improve your child's conditions without medication. The American Lung Association and the Environmental Protections Agency recommend three steps for protecting yourself from air-borne irritants.
Step 1: Eliminate the pollution source. This is the best solution, but this is not always possible. What if your pet's dander triggers your child's asthma? Are you prepared to remove all the carpeting, drapes, and upholstered furniture from your home? Dustmites hide in bedclothes, pillows, and other places around your child's room.
Step 2: Ventilate. Buildings need a certain amount of fresh air brought in. Unfortunately, fresh air may not be so "fresh." It often contains car and truck exhaust, pesticides and other pollution particulates that may trigger your child's asthma.
Step 3: Filter Your Air. This step is the only way you have of ensuring the quality of your indoor air. With an air cleaner, you can make sure that troublesome particulates are removed from the air you and your family breathe.

We can help with this solution. Please visit our Air Cleaners Page to learn more about the technology available to help your child.

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Did You Know?

There are over 350 different indoor air pollutants in our homes.
In 1995, almost 18 million youth under age 10 lived in areas with air quality that failed to
meet federal guidelines for healthful air.
8 million children under age five are exposed to cigarette smoke in the home.
In 1995, 18 million children under the age of 10 lived in areas where the air quality did not meet federal standards.
An EPA study of 18 harmful chemicals found that indoor concentrations were 2 to 20 times higher inside homes than outdoors.
Studies show a link between air pollution and acute respiratory illnesses.
In the last 50 years, more than 75,000 new chemicals have been introduced into the environment, and health experts are increasingly concerned about the role chemicals may play in childhood diseases, some of which are also on the rise.
Even brief exposure to air pollution can impair lung function. Overtime, scare tissue develops, permanently reducing lung function.

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