The Challenges of Managing Asthma in Schools across Puerto Rico

Managing students’ asthma and limiting their exposure to asthma triggers is a challenge in any school district. Following the devastating 2017 hurricane season, this task became all that much more difficult in schools across Puerto Rico.
 
This was due in large part to the widespread damage that occurred in many school buildings that allowed for the growth of mold, a common asthma trigger. Water damage, flooding and a lack of electricity that prevented timely repairs and caused mechanical air movement and treatment to cease, all provided for conditions that were conducive for mold growth.
 
Even before the hurricanes caused so many problems, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that approximately 1 in 12 children nationwide had asthma as recently as 2015. The agency also estimates that in 2013, 13.8 million school days were missed due to the disease making it a leading cause of school absenteeism across the entire United States.
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) lists the following asthma triggers commonly found in or around school buildings, they include:

• Respiratory viruses
• Cockroaches and other pests
• Mold resulting from excess moisture in the school
• Dander from animals in the classroom and dander brought in on clothing from animals at home
• Secondhand smoke
• Dust mites
• Cleaning agents, perfumes, pesticides and other sprays
• Ozone
• Particle pollution
• Bus exhaust

 
“This sometimes life-threatening respiratory disease can be controlled through proper medical treatment and by managing exposure to environmental triggers, such as mold, that can cause an asthma attack,” said Harry Pena, President of Zimmetry Environmental. “The particular trigger or triggers and the severity of symptoms differs for each person with asthma. In Puerto Rico and across the Caribbean, schools, companies and institutions can turn to the indoor air quality and building science professionals at Zimmetry Environmental to identify and resolve these environmental asthma triggers.”
 
Zimmetry has also sponsored an educational video about managing asthma in the school environment that can be seen at: https://youtu.be/wHantmU2lBo
 
To learn more about Zimmetry’s environmental asthma trigger, indoor air quality (IAQ) and building science testing, compliance and consulting services, please visit www.zimmetry.com, call (787) 995.0005 or email info@zimmetry.com .
 
About Zimmetry Environmental
Since 2002, Zimmetry Environmental has been providing environmental consulting services to building owners and managers, architects, engineers, EHS professionals and Fortune 500 companies.  The company is based in Puerto Rico and provides services across the Caribbean and Central America.  The professionals at Zimmetry offer environmental compliance, indoor air quality, asbestos, lead-based paint, Phase I ESAs and general environmental consulting services.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

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