Air pollution spewing from coal-burning electricity power plants and from cars, buses, trucks, trains AND planes makes it hard for kids and pets to breathe on BAD AIR days.

 

A "bad air day" happens is when air pollution combines with bright sunshine and/or high humidity to produce extremely toxic dirty air called SMOG.

Bad air days happen mostly in the summer, but they can happen anytime, depending on how high the levels of air pollution are and sunny and/or humid weather conditions. Bad air days can make breathing very difficult for kids with asthma. Pets feel it too!

 

There are special safety instructions for kids with asthma to follow on bad air days. Depending on how severe the air pollution is, kids with asthma may be advised to stay indoors as much as possible.

 

There are air pollution alert systems that tell you what to do to stay safe on BAD AIR days. It's important for kids with asthma and their parents and teachers to keep track of air pollution alerts because air pollution conditions can sometimes worsen quickly, and instructions can even be different for different times of the day.

Why kids have more asthma attacks than grown-ups

 

Kids and pets do their breathing close to the ground where the SMOG from pollution from electricity power plants settles, and younger kids stand at nose-level with tail-pipes spewing toxic fumes from cars, trucks and buses. This means that kids (and pets) are exposed to MORE air pollution than adults.

 

Breathing in polluted air causes the airways of kids with asthma to get puffy and swell up which can block their airway and make it hard to breathe. Kids with asthma have to be super careful to follow their doctor's instructions on BAD AIR days. Kids have small airways, so the swelling that can be caused by breathing polluted air can quickly block their airways.
 

Stay SAFE on BAD AIR days
 

Be sure to keep your rescue inhaler with you at all times on bad air days, if your doctor has prescribed a rescue inhaler. Your rescue inhaler may be able to help you stop a scary, painful asthma attack and get it under control Keeping your inhaler with you at all times may prevent you from having to be treated in a hospital emergency room.

Many kids (and adults) have a hard time getting the hang of using their inhalers correctly every time, so they don't always get the full dose of medicine that they need.

Take time now to check into our awesome "Asthma Gear Guide" and watch a short video to make sure that YOU are using your inhaler correctly! Woof!

 

Always KNOW your local air pollution conditions

 

Air pollution from electricity made by burning coal hurts kids the most
 

• video shows electricity power plants are the top source of air pollution that causes asthma
   

• kids can check up on local air pollution sources on this EPA website
   

• choosing wind or solar electricity stops 6 TONS of air pollution per household per year
   

• roadway air pollution hurts kids who live, play or go to school within 500 ft of roadways

 

• kids living in lower-income urban neighborhoods are hurt the most by asthma

 

• asthma rates are high for lower income Blacks and Hispanics in suburban and rural areas

Keep track of air pollution, pollen and mold levels to prevent attacks

 

• app helps kids with asthma get daily local air pollution alerts
   

• where kids with asthma can check local air pollution alerts online
   

• app helps kids with asthma get daily local pollen count alerts
   

• where kids with asthma can check local pollen and mold spore counts online
   

• how an inhaler-sensor tracks med use time and location to help identify pollution triggers
   

• how new wearable devices that measure air quality will help kids with asthma

 

 

Let's track air pollution down in your town!

 

Be sure to ask ALL of the grown-ups in your life to take 2 minutes to choose wind or solar electricity now to help STOP air pollution from burning coal to make electricity, which is now the TOP asthma trigger.

 

You can find out where the pollution is coming from in your community at this Environmental Protection Agency website. The environmental organizations that are listed below can also help.

 

Discover some of the most exciting environmental groups that are battling air pollution here. They need YOUR help to clean up our environment for kids with asthma
 

• Green America
   

• Blueprint Earth
   

• Environmental Defense Fund
   

• Sierra Club
   

• 350.org