Give Children a Head Start: Create Asthmafriendly, Smokefree Homes

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Give Children a Head Start Create
Asthma-friendly, Smoke-free Homes

• A Partnership of the Department of Health and
  Human Services and the Environmental Protection
  Agency
• Head Start Marketplace
• November 2005

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What is the EPA and DHHS Partnership?

• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  and the Department of Health and Human Services
  (DHHS) are partners in an effort to create
  asthma-friendly, smoke-free homes for Head Start
  families.

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Why is EPA here?

• Learn from Head Start Center (HSC) directors
  about how you currently address health issues
• Provide information on how asthma triggers and
  secondhand smoke can impact childrens health
• Share potential steps for actions Head Start
  Centers can take to reduce childrens exposure to
  asthma triggers and secondhand smoke

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What Does a Recent Survey Say?

• Asthma rates and secondhand smoke exposure are
  higher in households at or below the poverty
  level and with a lower education level
• 11 of children aged 6 and under (3 million
  children) are exposed to secondhand smoke in
  their homes on a regular basis
• Parents account for almost 90 of childrens
  exposure to secondhand smoke
• 6 million children in the U.S. have asthma
• Only 30 have a written asthma management plan
• Children with asthma are as likely to be exposed
  to secondhand smoke as children without asthma

Source National Survey on Environmental
Management of Asthma and Childrens Exposure to
Environmental Tobacco Smoke (U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, 2004)
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What Do These Results Mean for Our Work Together?

• The Good News progress has been made in reducing
  childrens exposure to asthma triggers and
  secondhand smoke
• The Challenge more needs to be done to protect
  the millions of children still suffering from
  asthma and exposed to secondhand smoke

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What Do These Results Mean for Our Work Together?

• Head Start families are a key audience for asthma
  and secondhand smoke education
• According to the 2003 Head Start Program
  Information Report (PIR), asthma is the highest
  reported health condition in Head Start
• programs nationwide
• The EPA and DHHS partnership can support you in
  helping families improve their health

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Why is Asthma a Concern?

• Asthma impacts the quality of life for
  approximately 20 million people, including six
  million children
• 14 million missed school days each year
• Nearly two million ER visits each year
• Managing environmental asthma triggers is a
  critical step in controlling asthma
• Common Triggers
• Secondhand Smoke/ETS
• Dust Mites
• Mold
• Cockroaches
• Pet Dander
• Outdoor Air Pollutants
• Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)

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Why is Secondhand Smoke a Concern?

• Exposure to secondhand smoke increases the risk
  of
• More frequent and severe asthma attacks
• Asthma in pre-school aged children
• Middle ear infections (millions per year)
• Bronchitis and pneumonia (up to 300,000 cases per
  year)
• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• Lower birth weight
• Reduced lung function

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Head Start Success Story

• Kpangbala Sengbe
• Rosemount Center Head Start
• 2000 Rosemount Avenue, NW
• Washington, D.C. 20010
• Janet Ngozi Unonu
• Director of Health and Nutrition
• Edward C. Mazique Parent Child Center
• 1713 12th Street, NW
• Washington, D.C. 20009

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Head Start Success Story

• Do you have any similar health education efforts
  already underway at your Center?
• What excites you about this successful leadership
  example?
• How can you apply this example at your Head Start
  Center?
• What can you accomplish by applying this example
  in your Center?

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What Can You Do at Your Center?

• Educate parents about the health effects from
  exposure to secondhand smoke and other asthma
  triggers
• Use asthma and secondhand smoke materials in your
  programs and Centers
• Maintain an asthma-friendly, smoke-free Center
• Plan World Asthma Day events at your Center

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What Can You Do at Your Center?

• Ensure that all children with asthma have an
  asthma management plan (AMP) at the Center
• Encourage parents to have an AMP at home
• Work with parents to control asthma triggers in
  their home
• Play videos in your Center
• Host a Pledge event encouraging parents to take
  the Smoke-free Home Pledge

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Free Resources

• How Asthma-friendly is Your Child-care Center
  (available at www.nhlbi.nih.gov)
• World Asthma Day Event Planning Kit
• (World Asthma Day is May 2, 2006!)
• Asthma Management Plans
• Asthma Home Environment Checklist

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Free ResourcesBilingual (English and Spanish)

• 10 Steps to Making Your Home Asthma-friendly
• Breathing Freely Controlling Asthma Triggers
• Dusty the Asthma Goldfish and His Asthma Triggers
  Funbook and Bookmark
• Help Your Child Gain Control Over Asthma

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Free ResourcesBilingual (English and Spanish)

• Asthma public service announcements (PSAs)
• PSAs are available in television, radio, and
  print formats
• Visit www.epa.gov/asthma for more information on
  how to order EPAs PSA materials at no cost
• www.noattacks.org
• 1-866-NO-ATTACKS

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How You Can Host a Pledge Event at Your Center?
Planning Guide for Pledge Events CD-ROM
Step 1 Organize a Pledge Plan Get pledges,
customize materials and report pledges This CD
includes an event log, customizable pledge
certificates, signature sheets and table-top
signs.
Step 2 Educate and Encourage This brochure
explains the dangers of secondhand smoke. Used
with the materials on the CD, you can encourage
people to take the pledge. Please use the event
log to report the pledges back to EPA for the
national tally.
Protect Your Children Take the Smoke-free Home
Pledge Brochure
Step 3 Reward and Reinforce A reward for taking
the Pledge, this Kit includes smoke-free tips,
picture frame magnet, coasters and decals. It
reminds people of their pledge and tells family
and friends not to smoke in the home or car.
Smoke-free Home Kit Thank You for Taking the
Pledge!
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Free ResourcesBilingual (English and Spanish)

• Event Planning Kit CD-ROM
• Pledge Brochure
• Pledge Kit
• Pledge Poster
• Coloring Activity Placemat (recommended by HSCs)

The Smoke-free Home Pledge Campaign won two
Silver Awards from the League of American
Communications Professionals in their 2005
Spotlight Awards national and international
competition.
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How Can You Order These Free Resources?

• Online
• www.epa.gov/asthma
• www.epa.gov/smokefree
• www.noattacks.org
• By phone
• IAQ INFO (1-800-438-4318)
• SfH Pledge Hotline (1-866-SMOKE-FREE)
• Asthma Hotline (1-866-NO-ATTACKS)

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How Can You Order These Free Resources?

• Product Order Form
• National Service Center for Environmental
  Publications (NSCEP)
• P.O. Box 42419
• Cincinnati, OH 42419
• 1-800-490-9198
• Fax [phone]
• www.epa.gov/ncepihom

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Key Messages From Todays Session

• You CAN educate Head Start families about asthma
  triggers and secondhand smoke
• You CAN work with parents to have asthma
  management plans for all children with asthma in
  your Center and at home
• You CAN host Smoke-free Home Pledge and World
  Asthma Day events
• You CAN lead and advocate for good health for
  your Head Start children and their families

The partnership between EPA and DHHS makes
available a variety of free, bilingual materials
to assist in your educational efforts
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