February in Ohio turned out to be a very interesting month for weather. The temperatures have been above normal, and so many children are sick. The weather, coupled with the poor air quality has made this a rough winter for children with respiratory troubles. Asthma is a respiratory illness that impacts thousands of people every year, and even a head cold can be more challenging because of bronchial restriction. And sadly, Ohio is seeing an increase in the rates of both adult and pediatric asthma.
Asthma is currently our nation’s fastest growing chronic disease. While it affects over 22 million Americans, in the population of children under the age of four has more than doubled. For asthma sufferers, genetics play a leading role in the susceptibility to the disease. However, once the gene is triggered, environmental factors step in also.
Six of Ohio’s major cities ranked in the top 100 most challenging places to live with asthma in 2010. Columbus places number 34. Columbus is in Franklin County which has a population of over 1 million. According to the American Lung Association, there were 25,856 children diagnosed with asthma last year!
Even though I live just North in Richland County, our pediatric rates are similar by comparison. As I type this, I have a friend whose youngest son has been diagnosed with severe asthma and she’s learning how her life as a parent is about to change.
3 ways life changes for a parent when their child is diagnosed with asthma:
1. Must always keep the inhaler handy. This means assessing every single activity for a possible trigger to an attack.
2. Children with asthma can’t always play sports like their peers and siblings.
3. Cold-and-flu season may become ‘get-to-know-the-local-ER-staff’ season.
Parents whose children are already suffering from asthma have enough to keep track of to protect their children’s health. They don’t need the added complexity of irresponsible coal companies who don’t want to comply with the EPA standards for Clean Air.
Asthma may not be a preventable disease, but we can help the families impacted by it here in Ohio, and all over the US, by standing up for clean air!