Study: Hospital admissions among asthmatic children decline thanks to new smoke-free law in U.K.

After a new law took effect in the United Kingdom banning smoking in enclosed public places, hospital admissions among asthmatic children decreased significantly.

There are a number of different irritants that are known to trigger asthma attacks, and tobacco smoke is one of them. In fact, according to Imperial College London, the number of children admitted to the hospital for asthma-related reasons declined a whopping 12.3 percent in the United Kingdom the year after a new law that banned smoking in enclosed public places went into effect.

The source reports that prior to the legislation, hospital admissions among young asthma sufferers had been increasing consistently each year, noting that "the trend reversed immediately" following its inception. 

"There is already evidence that eliminating smoking from public places has resulted in substantial population health benefits in England, and this study shows that those benefits extend to reducing hospital admissions for childhood asthma," said Dr. Christopher Millett, who led the study, in a press statement. "The findings are good news for England, and they should encourage countries where public smoking is permitted to consider introducing similar legislation."

If your child has asthma, it's imperative that you do everything in your power to shield him or her from harmful triggers. Exposure to second-hand smoke, pollen, pet dander, mold and other irritants can exacerbate symptoms and lead to potentially dangerous health complications for people who suffer from the chronic respiratory disease. 

The good news is there are steps you can take around the house to improve your son or daughter's quality of life, like investing in asthma air purifiers, which eliminate contaminants directly from the air. Check out the Air Purifiers Direct 2U website today to learn more.