Air Pollution & Kids: How to Keep Them Safe from Pollution

                        

                              Air Pollution & Kids 

              How to Keep Them Safe from Pollution

Smog is a combination of the words smoke and fog. It's formed when gases and fine particulate matter react in the presence of sunlight.Smog is made up of a lot of pollutants. Most harmful to our health and to the natural environment are those that come from cars, trucks and machines that run on fuels like gasoline. Chemical sprays, oil-based paints, wind-blown dust and other airborne fine particles from factories and construction sites add to the problem.

High levels of smog can make your eyes itchy, your nose and throat feel sore, and your breathing heavy, especially if you are very active outdoors. If you already have asthma, bronchitis or allergies, it can make these conditions worse.

Children are especially susceptible to the health effects of air pollution because:

1.  Their organs are still developing, and

2.  They breathe in more air in relation to their body weight.

3.  Exposure to air pollution can cause:

4.  Adverse effects on neurodevelopment that can negatively impact mental and motor development and lead to lower scores on cognitive tests.

5.  Damage to lung function, even at lower levels of pollutant exposure.

6.  Irregular heartbeat.

7.  Aggravated asthma symptoms.

8.Increased respiratory symptoms, including airway irritation and inflammation, coughing and difficulty breathing.

 Keeping your children safe from air pollution

One of the most effective ways to protect your child from exposure to air pollution is to monitor AQI levels in your area and follow outdoor physical activity guidelines relative to your child’s level of sensitivity. Exercise can cause your air intake to increase 10 to 20 times over your resting level, elevating the amount of airborne pollutants entering your body.

On days when the outdoor air quality is especially bad, such as peak wildfire smoke or smog days, consider taking the following precautions:

1.  Walk or ride your bike to school

Don't ask to be driven places if it's not really necessary. Walk or ride your bicycle. Invite your parents along. It's great exercise. Exhaust emissions from cars, trucks and buses are what cause a lot of our smog. The more vehicles we can keep off the roads, the better our air will be.

2.  Encourage your family to drive clean

Help to organize a carpool to get to and from sports and other activities and events. Remind your parents to get the car tuned regularly. A well-tuned car runs better and pollutes less. It also costs less to run. Ask your parents to turn off the engine instead of idling while waiting to pick you up. Tell them that one minute of idling uses up more gas than restarting the engine.

3.Turn off the lights

Generating electricity contributes to smog, so remember to turn off the lights when you leave a room. And set your air conditioning temperature a few degrees higher too, especially if your whole family is going to be out all day.

4.Avoid chemical sprays and cleaners

Hair and bug spray, air fresheners and even nail polish remover contain chemicals that add to air pollution. Suggest to anyone in your family who uses these products that they could use roll-on deodorants, creams, sticks and other non-aerosol products instead.

5.Stay indoors

If you must be outdoors, stay away from high traffic areas, especially during rush hour. Plan indoor activities like doing your homework, playing a board game or watching a movie.

6.Ask smokers to butt out

Smoking is not only harmful to your health, but contributes to air pollution. On bad air days, cigarette smoke combined with the already poor air quality can trigger asthma and allergies even more quickly. Ask family members or visitors to kindly refrain from smoking.

7.Mow the lawn another day

Did you know that the small gasoline engines in lawn mowers and leaf blowers pollute the air as much as some cars? If mowing the lawn is one of your chores, explain that doing it on a bad air day will only make the existing smog worse. Ask to do it another day.

8.Don't cook so much

Burning any fuel adds to smog, so why not suggest to your family that instead of cooking, you eat salads and other cold foods -- perfect for a hot summer day!

9.Work with your child’s doctor to create an asthma action plan for daily asthma management. Make sure that your child’s school is aware of the action plan and able to act accordingly, especially on unhealthy air quality days.

10.  Set your HVAC system to re-circulate or shut outdoor air intakes to help keep air pollution from entering your home.

11.Minimize indoor sources of air pollution, such as burning wood or candles, smoking cigarettes, spraying aerosols, and frying or broiling meat.

12.Use an air purifier to help remove airborne pollutants from your home.

13.Adults can consider wearing respirator masks after implementing other air quality control methods, but they are not recommended for children because they can fit incorrectly and impact a child’s ability to breathe. If the air quality is bad enough to necessitate wearing a mask, children should stay indoors, and evacuation should be considered.

14. When cleaning up ash after a wildfire, take care to avoid reintroducing the ash into the air. For example, take your vehicle to a car wash, clean toys and furniture with a damp cloth, and use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to clean your carpets.

Air Quality Index (AQI) levels

The Air Quality Index (AQI) was created to help the public better understand the changes in air quality, as well as the potential health effects of exposure to air pollution. AQI levels are often referred to using the following colors:

Green means that the outdoor air quality in your area is good, with an AQI rating of 0 to 50. This is the best air quality rating.

Yellow indicates moderate air quality with a rating of 51 to 100. Only students with unusual sensitivity to air pollution should experience symptoms on moderate air quality days.

Orange means that air pollution levels are high enough to be unhealthy for certain sensitive groups, such as children with asthma. Even those without asthma should limit physical activity while outdoors and take frequent breaks. The AQI Index values for this level are 101 to 150.

Red is used to indicate unhealthy air quality days with an AQI rating of 151 to 200. All outdoor physical activities should be limited. Longer outdoor activities should be moved indoors or rescheduled.

Purple signifies very unhealthy outdoor air quality. All outdoor activities should be moved indoors or rescheduled. The AQI ratings for this level are 201 to 300.

Maroon indicates hazardous air quality with a rating of 301 to 500, meaning that the entire population is likely to be affected by the current levels of air pollution.

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BEST PEDIATRICIAN IN GAUR CITY, 

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