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Here's the latest research on kids and pollutants from ABC:
Most parents encourage their children to play outside, but new research shows the air your child breathes outdoors could be harmful to their health, especially kids who have asthma.
“We know that environmental pollutants have a very significant impact on children with asthma,” said pediatrician Avril Beckford. Beckford explains children's lungs don't fully form until they are adolescents, making them especially vulnerable to air pollution. “The long term effect of air pollution on child health is devastating. children do not grow as well because they do not breathe as well,” said Beckford.
Proper treatment helps open breathing passages. Some childhood asthma suffered use an inhaler with a low dose of steroids twice a day. Considering experts estimate 50-percent of air pollutants are created by cars and trucks, Dr. Beckford advises parents of asthmatic children to think carefully about where they live. She said, "Do not choose a house that is close to a busy road or highway, we know that that exposure all day is a significant risk factor. She also warns young patients to avoid outdoor activities late in the day when air quality is often at its worst.
My kids don't have asthma, but they both have seasonal allergies. They got that from me, unfortunately! I guess I need to keep this in mind.
-NewsAnchorMom Jen
2 comments:
I think this is a double-edged sword. We need to encourage active play in children, but in doing so, we need to reduce risk factors. If air quality is low in your (my, our, whatever) area, it is important to find active indoor activities for children-- whether it is indoor sports like basketball and gymnastics or indoor playgrounds, etc.
Just my buck-fifty. :)
That's a good point. We don't want to encourage cough potatoes! That's a whole other problem.
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