b'heat Asthma is a disease that affects a persons lungs and causes wheezing, breathlessness, and chest tightness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It affects about 6.1 million children in the United States.Changes in climate can make breathing harderWhen Dr. TyraProtection Agency (EPA) and thatstriggering the boys asthma symptoms. Bryant-Stephenswhen my eyes started to be open to all startedthe different environmental impacts onIt took a year for the family to find practicingasthma, including climate, she says. another place to live. During that year, the medicine moreboy had many asthma attacks. He visited than 25 yearsIn the Philadelphia area, changes in thethe emergency room frequently and was ago, climateclimate mean that many places are hotterhospitalized twice. change was notand wetter for more days during the Dr. Tyra Bryant-Stephens on her radar, sheyear, Dr. Bryant-Stephens says. And thatAs a physician, Dr. Bryant-Stephens Asthma Specialistsays. means longer growing seasons for weeds,shares information about the impact of grasses, and other plants that releaseclimate change with her patients families, Her main concern was protecting childrenpollen into the air.The pollen can provokewith government officials, and with the with asthma from poor air quality indoors.allergies, triggering asthma in somepublic. She serves as a spokesperson for For example, tobacco smoke and petpeople. the Clean Air Council, an environmental dander can make it hard for them togroup. She works with other groups breathe. She still teaches children andClimate change causes longer allergyto develop more green spaces in their families what they can do in theirseasons, which can make asthma morePhiladelphia.homes to prevent asthma flare-ups. severe, says Dr. Bryant-Stevens, who is the director and founder of CHOPsShe encourages individuals to do what But Dr. Bryant-Stephens, an asthmaCommunity Asthma Prevention Program. they can to keep our air clean. Walk or specialist at Childrens Hospital ofbike, if possible, instead of riding in a car. Philadelphia (CHOP), also is concernedWhen asked whether climate changeAnd whenever you can, plant a tree, she about whats happening outdoors.has had an impact on her patients, shesays.Climate change is real, she says. describes a young boy with asthma whose family lived in a Philadelphia rental houseBy Navah Walley, Alexis Ronca, Kai In 2005, she joined an advisoryflooded by rain. They had nowhere else to Hughes, and Daniel Fuller committee with the U.S. Environmentalgo. Mold grew on surfaces in the house, East Norriton Bulldog BulletinS p r i n g 2 0 2 3 | H E A L T H Y N E W S W O R K S . O R G15'