Sacramento and other parts of California's Central Valley are known as asthma hot spots.
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, approximately one in 10 children in the United States suffers from asthma, but there are certain parts of the country where living with this chronic respiratory disease can be particularly challenging. California's Central Valley, which includes cities like Sacramento, Fresno, Stockton and Modesto, happens to be one of those areas.
But what is it that makes the Central Valley so hard on asthma patients? The Modesto Bee explains it in a recent article, stating the following:
"The region's pick-your-poison air is the result of a complex web of factors exacerbated by the area's climate, weather patterns and geography. Ozone and particulate matter, the two pollutants most heavily linked to asthma, become trapped in the vast basin between the Coast Range and the Sierra Nevada. The particulate matter is a dangerous mix produced by car exhaust, diesel fuel, road dust and a variety of emissions from agricultural operations."
The source reports that some schools in the area even have color-coded asthma flags that let kids know which days they are at the greatest risk of having an attack.
If your child has asthma and you reside in a part of the country where there are an exceptional amount of triggers, there are steps you can take to ensure that your son or daughter doesn't suffer. Consider speaking with the principal or school nurse about installing commercial air purifiers in the building, as these effective devices work by removing pollutants directly from the air.
Check out the Air Purifiers Direct 2U website today for more information.