Dr. Richard has a few ideas for the PTA to mull over at their next meeting. See what he has to say in his new blog:
There is overwhelming evidence that air pollution causes both long-term and short-term damage to children’s health. That includes health effects from children playing sports on heavily polluted days. There are two essential reads for all concerned parents and school staff, both from the American Academy of Pediatrics. The first is their 2004 policy statement, Ambient Air Pollution: Health Hazards to Children. The second is a review paper in 2008 called Air Pollution Threatens the Health of Children in China. Both are available as PDF, for free. Part of their conclusions are:
"In communities with poor air quality, pediatricians can play a role in educating children with asthma or other chronic respiratory tract disease and their families about the harmful effects of air pollution. Patients and families can be counseled on following the AQI to determine when local air-pollution levels pose a health concern… Pediatricians who serve as physicians for schools or for team sports should be aware of the health implications of pollution alerts to provide appropriate guidance to school and sports officials, particularly in communities with high levels of ozone."
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