| Stepping up
the fight against childhood asthma, EPA and the Advertising Council
have launched a national media drive, "The Childhood Asthma
Campaign," alerting parents to indoor environmental
triggers of asthma attacks, such as mold and secondhand smoke from
cigarettes. These and other irritants and asthma triggers can be
removed by use of air filters in your home.
"Childhood asthma
is an epidemic in this country and many parents feel helpless to
protect their children from attacks," said former EPA
Administrator Christie Whitman. "So EPA and the Ad
Council are launching an aggressive nationwide campaign to teach
parents that asthma attacks are not inevitable and that there are
things they can do to help prevent these dangerous incidents."
Using air filters in the home is one of them.
Tips To Help:
2. Use
air filters in your home. Alpine USA is proud to offer a variety
of filtration units and purifiers to meet your needs.
Click here to view the air filters selection.
2. Take
it outside. One of the most common
asthma triggers in the home is secondhand
smoke. Until
you can quit, smoke outside, not in your home or car.
3. Good
night, little mite! Dust mites are
also triggers for asthma. For mite population control, cover mattresses
and pillows with dust-proof (allergen impermeable) zippered covers.
Wash sheets and blankets once a week in
hot water.
4. Play
it Safe. Limit outdoor activities when local pollution
and/or pollen count is high. Watch your local news for reports of
these irritants.
5. A
little dust goes a long way. Reduce
everyday dust build-up, by regularly dusting with a damp cloth and
vacuuming carpet and fabric-covered furniture.
6. Household pets can
trigger asthma with skin flakes, urine, and saliva. Keep pets outdoors,
if possible.
7. Cockroaches can
trigger asthma. Dont invite them into your home by
leaving food or garbage out. Always clean up messes and spills and
store food in airtight containers.
8. Think
before you spray. Instead of
pesticide sprays, control pests by using baits or traps. If sprays
are necessary, always open a windows to
circulate fresh breezes into
the room being treated and keep asthma sufferers out of that
room for several hours after any spraying.
9.Mold is another asthma
trigger. The key to controlling mold is controlling moisture. Wash
and dry hard surfaces to prevent and remove mold. Replace moldy
ceiling tiles and carpet. Consider using an Alpine,
Nature's Air or LightningAir
in your home.
10. Reducing the moisture will
control asthma triggers like mold,
cockroaches, and dust mites.
Use exhaust fans or open windows when cooking and showering. Fix leaky
plumbing or other unwanted sources of
water.
11. Plan
before the
attack. Work with your doctor or
health care provider to develop a written asthma
management plan for your child that includes information on your childs
triggers and how to manage them.
Asthma afflicts about
20 million Americans, including 6.3 million children. Since
1980, the biggest growth in asthma cases has been in children under
five. In 2000 there were nearly 2 million emergency room visits
and nearly half a million hospitalizations due to asthma, at a cost of
almost $2 billion, and causing 14 million school days missed each
year.
EPA has contributed to
a campaign of public service announcements in English and Spanish for
television, radio, newspapers, buses and subways. The goal of
the drive is to heighten awareness of asthma as a chronic disease and
to educate the public about how attacks are triggered and how to
prevent them.
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