OMA
Smog-Wise Information for Parents
The following recommendations
are designed to inform parents and help them manage their concerns about smog
pollution’s health effects.
It is important that you learn to understand when smog levels are high, and if your children have a noticeable response to these elevated pollution concentrations.
Becoming aware of smog is the first step, so listen and watch for smog alerts when you are looking up the day’s UV index or checking the weather forecast on the radio or TV. Learn to recognize and pay extra attention to especially smoggy days.
Monitor your children closely to determine if and when they respond to smog. A respiratory reaction may sometimes lag a few days after the highest pollution concentrations. Such delayed reactions are quite common, but should not be ignored.
Young children tend to respond to smog by reducing their exertion level when air pollution is having an affect on them. This is a natural reaction, but it is important to watch the youngest children for signs of strain.
The most important thing to do to reduce smog’s impact on your child is to reduce their exposure. Avoiding strenuous outdoor activities during smog episodes is the best way to do this. Exercise is important for your kids, but try to minimize their exertion when smog levels are high.
In general, children tend to be more sensitive to smog than adults because they spend more time active outdoors in the summer and they breathe more rapidly, meaning they filter more polluted air through their lungs. In the very young, developing lungs are especially vulnerable.
Even for healthy children, vigorous outdoor exercise during high smog episodes may cause respiratory symptoms, such as throat irritation, coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath or chest tightness. Some children are more sensitive than others, so observing your child’s response is very important. If parents, or children themselves, notice negative health effects like breathing difficulty or chest tightening, or are simply feeling unusually tired, activity and exposure should be reduced.
It is helpful to curtail activity during smog alerts, but it is important to note that air pollution can have a negative effect at moderate smog concentrations. Watching for smog alerts in the media is important, but this is not the only time to be mindful of your child’s respiratory condition.
Smog concentrations can be dangerous even without a smog alert being issued, so it is important to pay attention to the weather forecast itself in order know when smog levels might be high. If it’s going to be a hot or hazy day, smog levels will likely be elevated. If you can’t access a weather report, it’s also easy to get a pretty good sense of the air quality by observing the weather yourself. In general, the hotter it is - the worse the ozone smog is likely to be; the hazier - the higher the smog particle concentrations. Haze on rainy or damp days isn’t usually as bad because the water washes some of the pollution out of the atmosphere.
If your child suffers from asthma, other respiratory or cardiac illness, it is essential that you speak with your physician about how to best manage their condition. When smog levels are high it may be advisable to reschedule outdoor sporting events, because outdoor exertion poses a greater risk to those whose breathing may already be compromised. In extreme cases, keeping your child inside, in a cool, clean, air conditioned environment may be an appropriate preventative measure.
If your child's condition worsens during a smog episode, or at any other time, consult your physician.
When hot temperature and humidity advisories coincide with high smog levels, protect your children by having them follow sun protection guidelines, stay in the shade as much as possible, and drink lots of fluids to keep hydrated.
Organizers of sporting events should pay particular attention to the provision of adequate shade, fluids and rest periods for children and also keep a watchful eye for children who may be under strain.
For daily information regarding local air pollution and smog levels, Ontario's Air Quality Index (AQI) readings are provided by the Ministry of the Environment at www.airqualityontario.com. AQI values and forecasts are also available from the ministry by calling (416) 246-0411 in Toronto, or toll-free at 1-800-387-7768 (English) or 1-800-221-8852 (French).
For more information about the impact of smog visit www.oma.org/phealth/smogmain.htm .