Today is World Asthma Day. I had no idea there was such a thing until an announcement bounced into my inbox this morning.
I feel lucky that I have never had a child with asthma, nor have I ever had it.
But I’ve come close enough. Both my sons had severe cases of CROUP–a respiratory condition triggered by a virus. My boys’ throats swelled up; they began coughing, and it sounded like they were barking. Then they began gasping for air.
I was terrified. The doctor told me to sit in the bathroom, holding them in my lap, and let steam come off the shower and fill the room. I listened to their ragged, desperate breathing and wondered how long I should wait before I went to the emergency room.
What is more awful than hearing your child struggle to breathe?
Any parent who has ever held a child who can’t breathe know how utterly terrifying it is. Croup is not uncommon. I bring it up because it is a way that many parents who don’t have asthmatic children can relate to the absolute terror of a bad asthma attack.
I have had friends who have had to rush their children to the emergency room, children whose lips and cheeks were beginning to turn blue. I’ve been with moms who have had to pull their children off swing sets, made them sit on a bench, inhaler at their mouth, to avert an attack.
Here are some stats from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America:
Every day,
40,000 people miss school or work because of asthma
30,000 people have an asthma attack
5,000 people go to the emergency room because of asthma
1,000 people are admitted to the hospital
11 people DIE from asthma. Every day.
AIR POLLUTION TRIGGERS AND AGGRAVATES ASTHMA.
There’s plenty you can do around your house if you have a child who suffers from asthma. But the most important thing you can do is help the Environmental Protection Agency get rid of the source of pollution; all that grit and grime that blow out of power plants, waft through the skies, and come home with the breezes.
EVERY PARENT WHO HAS A CHILD WITH ASTHMA–AND EVERY ONE OF THEIR FRIENDS–SHOULD SUPPORT THE NEW EPA ACTION ON CLEAN AIR
Submit a public comment to the EPA: Take action for clean air now!
The EPA’s Mercury and Air Toxics rule was posted to the Federal Register this week, kicking off a 60-day period for public commenting. Please submit a public comment to the EPA in support of strong air toxics rules here, urging further action to clean up our air and thanking them for their proposed safeguards.