Should I send my kids outside for recess when there is an inversion? This is a question many parents ask themselves when it is a ‘red’ burn’ day. Is it bad for my child to breath the air? The answer is not so simple. If a person has a lung problem that is exacerbated by the particulates in the air, then they should stay inside. Older adults with emphysema or chronic bronchitis, should not be in the polluted air. For children, it is not clear cut. Cough is one of the symptoms of lung problems with dirty air. But, cold air by itself is an irritant to the lungs and can make people cough. So, the cough may not be related to the air at all, but to the temperature. On the other hand, there are studies to show that children who are not active but sit, for example, in front of a screen for up to 3 hours at a time at age 3 will have a doubled risk of having asthma at age eleven. Being active and expanding the lungs helps keep the lungs healthy. My advice: Work to keep the air clean. But, unless being outside induces a cough or difficulty breathing, it is not necessary to keep your children from participating in recess activities.
Additional Resources: http://www.lung.org/our-initiatives/healthy-air/outdoor/air-pollution/children-and-air-pollution.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/
