Forty years ago a child with a respiratory problem was considered sickly and kept indoors to preserve their health. I know because my little brother suffered from allergy related asthma. Summers were a terrible time for him. Today juvenile asthma is almost as common as acne. Nor is it just asthma as frightening as that is. Toddlers are increasingly being diagnosed with allergies and sinusitis.
Why can't our children breathe? What is happening in our world to make the very air they need all but toxic to them? According to an article in Time magazine one culprit is undoubtedly global warming.
Global warming increases the amount of carbon dioxide in our air. While that is good news for plants since they breathe in carbon dioxide, it's bad news for our children who are being deprived of oxygen. Plants, especially the weedier plants, are thriving and producing pollen out of proportion to their growth. Our children's respiratory systems, already struggling to take in oxygen are being forced to filter pollen heavy air as well. Perhaps it's no wonder that 250,000 asthma related deaths are reported to the World Health Organization each year.
Urbanization is another culprit of the pollen flood. The baking effect of the concrete used in many urban areas causes increased temperatures and creates a haven for ragweed.
Reports show that pollen seasons are growing longer and more intense every year. What relief can we give our children as they struggle to take in air and grow? Until science finds a way to reduce the CO2 levels in the air not much. Antihistamines and steroids provide some relief but neither is without side effects. Antihistamines are infamous for causing sleepiness while steroids can cause an all but uncontrollable rage in a sensitive child. I have seen these effects in my own children as they grew and they are not something to laugh or joke about. While on asthma medication my family and I literally feared for my then seven year old son's sanity.