1. Children’s Health Asthma and Environmental Tobacco Smoke Linda A. Jouridine, Ed.D., Extension Health Specialist Linda Adler, M.A., Extension Specialist for Home Furnishings Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Asthma’s Costs It’s the 3 rd 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. One of the common triggers of Asthma in Children is Environmental Tobacco Smoke or ETS!

9. 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.

10. Sidestream or ETS Is actually more dangerous than mainstream smoke. Toxins are not filtered out.

11. 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

12. 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

13. Harmful Effects on Lungs Irritates lungs Causes chronic inflammation of airways Alters lung development in young children

14. Preschoolers are at greatest risk from ETS because they are often trapped in homes or cars with a smoker

15. 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

16. 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)

17. Other Common Triggers For Asthma Episodes Cold weather Exercise Pollen Gases Insects and Rodents House Dust Dust Mites Mold Pets Feathers

18. 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.

19. 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 Kitwww.nsc.org

20. For More Information About Asthma National Allergy and Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics –(800) 878-4403 –http://www.podi.com/health/aanmahttp://www.podi.com/health/aanma U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) –(800) 438-4318 –http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/index.htmlhttp://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/index.html

21. For More Information about Asthma American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology –(800) 822-2762 –http://www.aaaai.orghttp://www.aaaai.org Healthy Indoor Air for America’s Homes –(406) 994-3451 –http://www.montana.edu/wwwcxair/http://www.montana.edu/wwwcxair/

22. For more information about Kentucky Asthma and Allergy Foundation www.aafa.orgwww.aafa.org Costs by States Kentucky Healthy People 2010 Asthma Data & Goals for Commonwealth American Lung Association of Kentucky P.O. Box 9067 Louisville, KY 40209-0067 Phone: 502 363-2652 1-800-LUNG-USA info@kylung.org