Children’s HealthChildren’s HealthChildren’s HealthChildren’s HealthAsthma and Environmental Tobacco SmokeAsthma and Environmental Tobacco Smoke

Linda A. Jouridine, Ed.D., Extension Health SpecialistLinda A. Jouridine, Ed.D., Extension Health SpecialistLinda Adler, M.A., Extension Specialist for Home FurnishingsLinda Adler, M.A., Extension Specialist for Home Furnishings

Kentucky Cooperative Extension ServiceKentucky Cooperative Extension Service

Framing the Problem• Asthma affects more than 17 million

people in the United States, and almost 1/3 of them (5.3 million are children).

• The prevalence of pediatric asthma has increased steadily since 1998 making it the most frequently identified chronic disease in children.

Although most children have mild to moderate problems controlled by

medication at home and treatment by

doctors, others have serious problems that

require numerous hospitalizations.

Asthma’s Costs• It’s the 3rd ranked cause of

hospitalizations among children in the United States.

• It accounts for one in six emergency room visits.

• The estimated costs for those under 18 is 3.2 billion a year.

Asthma Facts and Impacts

• Asthma occurs more frequently and disproportionately among poor and inner city children.

• There are higher hospitalization rates and mortality for black children than white children.

Asthma Facts and Impacts

• Asthma is responsible for more ER visits, hospital admissions and school absences than any other chronic disease.

• It’s the most common reason children miss school, and one of the primary reasons parents miss work.

Kentucky Statistics• In Kentucky more than 70,000 children

and 130,000 adults suffer from asthma.

• At Kentucky’s only hospital dedicated exclusively to treating children, asthma is the Number 1 cause of inpatient admissions and the Number 3 cause of Emergency Room visits.

One of the common triggers of Asthma in

Children is Environmental

Tobacco Smoke or ETS!

ETS, aka Secondhand Smoke or passive

smoke, is the mixture of particles from the

burning end of a cigarette, cigar or

pipe breathed out by the smoker.

Sidestream or ETS

•Is actually more dangerous than mainstream smoke.

•Toxins are not filtered out.

Harmful Products Found in Sidestream

• 5 x’s as much carbon monoxide

• 3 x’s as much benzopyrene• 50 x’s as much ammonia• 4,000 chemicals, 200 of which

are poisons and 43 at least cause cancer

Overall Harmful Effects in Children

• Respiratory illness and irritation• Ear problems• Asthma• SIDS• Low birth weight infants• Cotinine found in urine of young

children whose parents smoke

Harmful Effects on Lungs

• Irritates lungs• Causes chronic inflammation of

airways• Alters lung development in young

children

Preschoolers are at greatest risk from ETS because they

are often trapped in homes or cars with a

smoker

Where do we spend time at home

• Bedroom-524 min for adults and 624 for children (per month)

• Children are inside 20.5 hours/day; 141 minutes outside and 69 minutes in closed transit

What Can be Done• Community Education for concerned

citizens• Classroom and school education for

appropriate personnel• Massive educational awareness

campaigns for Employers, Restaurant and Business Owners (especially daycare facilities)

Other Common Triggers For Asthma

Episodes• Cold weather• Exercise• Pollen• Gases• Insects and

Rodents

• House Dust• Dust Mites• Mold• Pets• Feathers

Take Action to Help Control Asthma

Episodes

• Asthma symptoms and attacks usually get started by triggers.

• Talk to a doctor about these triggers.

• Find ways to avoid or control them. Find ways to get rid of them if possible.

Don’t Re-Invent the Wheel

• National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Slide Show

• Sesame Street Preschoolers Project• Open Airways for Schools• www.nsc.org Community Action Kit

For More Information About Asthma

• National Allergy and Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics– (800) 878-4403– http://www.podi.com/health/aanma

• U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – (800) 438-4318– http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/index.html

For More Information about Asthma

• American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology– (800) 822-2762– http://www.aaaai.org

• Healthy Indoor Air for America’s Homes– (406) 994-3451– http://www.montana.edu/wwwcxair/

For more information about Kentucky

• Asthma and Allergy Foundationwww.aafa.org Costs by States

• Kentucky Healthy People 2010 Asthma Data & Goals for Commonwealth

• American Lung Association of KentuckyP.O. Box 9067Louisville, KY 40209-0067Phone: 502 363-26521-800-LUNG-USAinfo@kylung.org