Indoor Air Pollution and Kid’s Asthma

We live in very advanced times but despite all that we know about nature and keeping humans healthy we still seem to keep them locked up n big steel and concrete bunkers where they inhale canned, recycled or rearmed air. Even worse this source of vital oxygen is often polluted by all kinds of carcinogens and toxins in the air that are simply the byproducts of our day-to-day activities.

These sealed up buildings came about as the result of the last energy crisis. The worst are buildings built past 1973.Over the past twenty -five years; buildings have been fortified to keep the cold or warmth out in order to prevent us from using up energy resources.

Unfortunately a lot of the materials that have been use to insulate these buildings also emit particulates and off-gas fumes into the air. These chemical vapors and bits of dust have brought dramatic increases in the number of cases of asthma, allergy, chemical hypersensitive and cancer.

The main culprits are materials such as fiberboard, carpeting and the glue and resins that are used to hold everything together. Here is a break down of the types of chemical emissions that can be found in the various construction materials, furnishings and commonly used items. All of these chemicals cause illness of all kind but especially cancer.

• Acetone – Bioeffluents, cosmetics, nail polish remover, office correction fluid, pre printed-paper forms.

• Alcohols – adhesives, bioeffluents, carpeting, caulking, ceiling tiles, duplicating machines, printers, floor coverings, paints, particle board, stains, varnishes and wall coverings

• Ammonia –bioeffluents, carpeting, cleaning products, printers, microfiches, photocopiers

• Benzene –adhesives, caulking, ceiling tiles, printers, floor coverings, paints, particleboard, photocopiers, stains, varnishes, tobacco smoke and wall coverings

• Chloroform – tap water

• Formaldehyde –adhesives, caulking, ceiling tiles draperies, fabrics, facial tissues, floor coverings, gas stoves, grocery bags, paints, paper towels, particleboard, permanent press clothing, plywood, stains, varnishes and upholstery.

• Trichloroethylene – duplicating machines, printers, photocopiers

• Xlyene –adhesives Bioeffluents, caulking ceiling tiles, computer screens, printers, floor coverings, paints, particle boards, photocopiers, stains, varnishes and wall coverings.

Indoor air pollution is considered by many experts to be one of the main threats to health in the twenty first century. People are getting ill in what are called 'sick buildings'. To make matters even worse, statistics show that most North Americans spend 90% of their entire life indoors in buildings that may be off gassing chemicals and particulates.

No wonder are kids are so allergic and suffer from asthma.

Illnesses that are known to be caused by indoor air pollution are –

• Allergies
• Asthma
• Eye problems
• Throat irritations
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Memory Loss
• Irritability
• Lowered immunity
• Joint pain
• Cancer

It is not just the materials that are used to insulate homes that are the problem. Many downtown office buildings in urban cores are very old and have poorly maintained air conditioning systems. This creates environments where the humidity is too high or too low which can cause respiratory problems, the growing of bacteria such as Legionnaire's disease and other problems.

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Coping After a Stillbirth

Sometimes a baby is still born. This is not a topic that is talked about too much because it is so tragic. Still if this has happened to you then you will definitely identify with this article. I also wrote this article to help you deal with a friend who may have had this unfortunate experience.
The first thing that happens after a stillbirth is a grieving period. For most women the weeks after it are a blur. Social workers often tell mothers of still born children not to expect much from thief because they don't know what to say. Sometimes other mommies behave like the baby's death is contagious. This is one of the worst things we can do but it is hardwired in our human nature to act like this.
Most women just cannot stop crying after a stillbirth. This is also natural. It is also the kind of anguish that parson cannot handle alone. It is very advisable to get psychological counselling.
Many mothers also blame themselves for the still birth. Many are not fair to themselves. Still births have many different causes. In about twenty percent of the births the cause is unknown.
The main cause is birth defects. About fifty to twenty percent o f stillborn babies have one or more birth defects. Almost all have chromosome abnormalities such as Down's syndrome. The death of baby can also be lined to conditions in the mother such as kidney disease, diabetes or high blood pressure. Death of a child can also be caused by umbilical cord problems such as a knot or blood clot. Another cause is placental abruption in which the placenta partially or totally peels away from the uterine wall before the baby can be delivered. Bacterial or viral infections involving the fetes or placenta (including genital or urinary tract infections) are a factor in about tent twenty five percent of stillbirths.
If you don't want to have a stillbirth you should also try to lose weight. Women who are obese are very much at an increased risk of having a stillborn baby.
It is rarely true that a mother can blame herself totally for a stillbirth unless she smoked, drank alcohol or used street drags during pregnancy. These are behaviours that can be changed by a mother to prevent a still born tragedy.
If you do lose a baby or know someone who does the worst thing you can do is pretend that it did not happen. It is very hurtful to the family when you do not acknowledge it. The baby is never far from our minds so don't be afraid to bring it up out fear of upsetting others. Talking about the dead baby can cause tears but it's good to get this grief out. A good friend is never scared of another friend's tears – especially in this case.

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