Clean the Air, Fight asthma

FIGHT ASTHMA

Asthma is one of the most common non-communicable diseases in the world, affecting 339 million globally and prevalence is rising. People of all ages can develop asthma and go on to suffer from reduced quality of life and reduced life-expectancy. We know that asthma can be exacerbated by exposure to air pollutants, but recent research conducted by the American Academy of Paediatrics has revealed When a family discovers the wonderful news that they are expecting a baby, very often the way they prepare for the arrival is to prepare the nursery. A fresh coat of paint on the walls, a new cot, fresh linen and heaps of new clothes and toys. Then we bring our precious little bundle home., settle them in and keep the windows closed to keep them warm. Unwittingly, we might be exposing their vulnerable developing lungs to unprecedented levels of harmful airborne chemicals. Many new consumer-goods release (off-gas) formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for up to four years after they are manufactured. Wooden furniture, paint coatings, clothes and plastic toys have all found to be sources of pollution in homes. links between the onset of asthma attacks and the upper respiratory tract infections such as common cold. Almost 62% of children presenting with moderate to severe asthma exacerbations had at least one upper respiratory tract infection. More worryingly, influenza infections caused treatment failure in a quarter of patients, increasing the

New Things for the Newborn?

danger of the asthma attack. The number of children with asthma appears to be rising and increased exposure to air pollution from a young age may be one of the reasons. We are a truly indoor generation, spending 90% of our time indoors. Radic8 strongly believes that prevention is better than cure and recommend we protect our children throughout their life, starting in the nursery.