For some time now, medical experts have noticed that there is a link between asthma and individuals who live in poor neighborhoods, and a study published in the Journal of Asthma in 2012 has helped them better understand that connection.
The research, led by Dr. Tyra Bryant-Stephens from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, revealed that a whopping 26 percent of children who reside in the City of Brotherly Love suffer from the chronic respiratory disease. This is three times the national average.
According to Bryant-Stephens, scientists have discovered that people who are exposed to cockroaches — more specifically, the bugs' feces and shedded skins — are more likely to develop asthma, though this isn't proven to be a direct cause. Additionally, the pesticides that are used to combat cockroach and rat infestations have also been shown to exacerbate asthma symptoms. In fact, states Philly.com, some of the city's Hispanic residents use a highly toxic poison that's not even legal in the United States, which could be putting their children in danger.
"All of this is stressful to parents," Hernando Perez, who works as an environmental health scientist at Drexel University's School of Public Health, told the source. "And in Philadelphia, these problems come together in low-income environments."
Every day, nine people die from asthma-related complications, states the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. That's why if your child has this chronic respiratory disease, it's imperative to do whatever you can to ensure that he or she receives proper treatment. In addition to seeing an asthma specialist, there are special products on the Allergy Be Gone website that you can invest in — including a whole house air purifier — which can enhance your little one's quality of life.
