Allergies and Asthma – How Indoor Air Quality Can Affect Your Child in School

It is very interesting how some children can be doing very well in school, all A’s and then they change schools. This is a common story we hear from parents about their children with Asthma and Allergies. It seems that the Indoor Air Quality is definitely affecting their performance at school. When a child is doing good and then all of a sudden their grades are dropping, what caused this is the question.

One Mom was concerned and asked us to check the school. When you walk into the child’s classroom, you could smell mold immediately. Usually, a person that is in an area that has mold will not smell it because you become masked over to the odor in a short period of time. In other words, you can not smell it anymore. The child was an “A” student till he went to this school and then the problems started. The child reported that he was having concentration problems and his Asthma Attacks started on a regular basis.

This child was one of the fortunate one’s and had a teacher who cared about him. After we inspected the classroom, the teacher informed the Principle and they got right on the problem. The mold was in the children’s bathroom. It was remediated by a licensed Microbial Contractor who was certified by the Indoor Air Quality Association. The Microbial Remediation was done over a weekend with no disruption of the class.

According to the EPA, Indoor Air Quality can affect a child’s ability to learn and increase absence from school. In studies done by the EPA, it was learned that poor Indoor Air Quality may directly reduce a child’s ability to perform specific mental tasks requiring concentration, calculation, or memory. This information only reinforces the effect of mold on children with Allergies and Asthma, and their ability to concentrate in a classroom with mold nearby.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has published a guide which addresses indoor air quality in schools. By applying no-cost or low-cost approaches outlined in the IAQ Tools for Schools (IAQ TfS) Action Kit, schools can find cost-effective means to make the school environment more conducive to improved health and performance of teachers and students.

In conclusion, children with Allergies and Asthma can be affected by poor Indoor Air Quality. Their grades may change because of poor concentration. Mold has been shown to affect individuals with Asthma and Allergies due to their Compromised Immune Systems. As a parent, you must be proactive to protect your child from poor Indoor Air Quality in their classroom settings.

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