The American Lung Association of California offers a number of programs to help children and adults better manage their asthma, including Open Airways for Schools and asthma camps. We also work to reduce children’s exposure to air pollution through services like our Air Quality FLAG Program, which uses color-coded flags that schools fly out front to indicate how healthy the air is that day so children with asthma can take precautions.
Nearly 5 million Californians have asthma, a chronic inflammatory disease that causes the airways to become smaller, blocking the free flow of air into the lungs. Asthma is life-threatening when left untreated. In the last three decades, it has become an epidemic.
Nationwide surveys show that many children with asthma are not being diagnosed or are not receiving adequate medical care. If children with asthma are missing school, waking up at night due to asthma symptoms, or making regular trips to the emergency room, their asthma is not properly controlled.
Asthma symptoms include wheezing, coughing and tightness in the chest. There is no cure, but asthma can be controlled with medications and by reducing exposure to lung irritants that trigger symptoms. Common environmental triggers include air pollution, secondhand smoke, pesticides and allergens like animal dander, dust, mold, and pollen.
The American Lung Association of California supports laws to reduce environmental triggers like air pollution and we are working with the California Legislature to secure long-term funding for the Strategic Plan for Asthma in California, which includes effective strategies for reducing the asthma burden through public health interventions, educational outreach and school-based programs.
Learn more.
Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools
