Another finding from the Southern California Children’s Health study looked at the long-term effects of particle pollution on teenagers. Tracking 1,759 children between ages 10 and 18, the researchers found that those who grew up in more polluted areas face the increased risk of having underdeveloped lungs, which may never recover to their full capacity. The average drop in lung function was 20 percent below what was expected for the child’s age, similar to the impact of growing up in a home with parents who smoked.46

Other recent studies have documented that high levels of ozone are linked to increased school absences for children from respiratory illnesses. Researchers looking at children in Reno, Nevada and at a large group of children from Southern California linked high levels of ozone to increased absences for elementary school students.47

Community health studies are pointing to less obvious, but serious effects from year-round exposure to ozone, especially for children. Scientists followed 500 Yale University students and determined that living just four years in a region with high levels of ozone and related co-pollutants was associated with diminished lung function and frequent reports of respiratory symptoms.48 A much larger study of 3,300 school children in Southern California found reduced lung function in girls with asthma and boys who spent more time outdoors in areas with high levels of ozone.49

There is also real-world evidence that reducing air pollution can help protect children. One of the most striking examples came during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Atlanta is a prime example of an urban area with a history of serious ozone problems. The determined efforts of the city to reduce traffic during the Olympics succeeded in not just reducing congestion, but in improving the health of children with asthma. Revamping the way the city moved people during the Summer Olympic Games created a prolonged period of low ozone pollution that resulted in significantly lower rates of childhood asthma events for children aged 1-16. The number of asthma acute care events (e.g., treatment and hospitalization) decreased 42 percent in the Georgia Medicaid claims files. Pediatric emergency departments also saw significant reductions, as did the Georgia Hospital Discharge Database and a health maintenance organization database. It is important to note researchers determined that weather was not the determining factor in the reduced ozone levels.50

To minimize your exposure to ozone and particle pollution:

• Pay attention to forecasts for high air pollution days to know when to take precautions
• Avoid exercising near high-traffic areas
• Avoid exercising outdoors when pollution levels are high, or substitute an activity that requires less exertion
• Eliminate indoor smoking
• Reduce the use of fireplaces and wood-burning stoves

Basically, avoid doing anything that causes you to breathe very deeply on days when pollution levels are high. The more deeply you breathe, the deeper into your lungs the particles will go. Listen to local news reports about air quality and reduce your exposure. Support national, state and local efforts to clean up the sources of pollution, as discussed in this report.