Experts warn about the impact of smog and vehicle traffic on asthmatic children

• For children with asthma, living a mile or two away from a major freeway could make a dramatic difference in their health, a new study found.
• Jack McNeill has always lived in a big city, right near a major highway.
• "I'm around traffic a lot," he explained.
• "I live in an area where there's a lot of smog."
• Researchers form the University of Southern California recently found a direct link between traffic and asthma.
• "Children who lived in high-traffic areas, near intersections, particularly busy highway intersections had a greater risk for developing complications for their asthma ...
• such as the coughing and wheezing and chest congestion," said Dr. Stanley Fineman, an asthma specialist.
• Children who lived next to a highway had almost twice as many attacks as children three-quarters of a mile away.
• "The asthma airway is a very hyper reactive airway," Fineman said.
• "In other words, it tends to go into spasm with all kinds of different irritants and so the pollutants that we see in the exhaust fumes from cars and trucks all contribute to that."
• "The city does give allergy or smog alerts," McNeill said.
• "On those days, I might use my extra inhaler just because of the added risk."
• Experts said during warmer months, parents should control their child's environment in the car and the house, by keeping windows closed and the air conditioning on.
• If your child does have asthma, experts recommend moving away from major highways.
• "I would definitely encourage if you had a choice between living on a heavily-traveled street or a subdivision where you're in a cul-de-sac, away from the heavily traveled roads, definitely I would chose the subdivision," Fineman said.
• Experts are not sure what exactly in the exhaust seems to trigger asthma.