Reducing Asthma Attacks Among Head Start families

Asthma is a growing problem for Head Start families, as well as the nation as a whole. It is the most common chronic childhood disease and places a disproportionate burden on minority and low income groups, the population that Head Start serves.

Head Start programs may use ECLKC resources to help care for children with asthma, and plan to prevent asthma episodes. Head Start families can help prevent serious health risks such as more frequent and severe asthma attacks among asthmatic children, upper and lower respiratory tract infections, and acute middle ear infections by taking actions to reduce exposure to asthma triggers.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Partnership

EPA and HHS are working together to improve the quality of life for nearly a million Head Start children by conducting nationwide asthma and secondhand smoke outreach.

Read more on the EPA and HHS Memorandum of Understanding.

Creating Smoke-free Homes for Head Start Children

Secondhand smoke is harmful to everyone, especially to babies and young children of all communities...By increase awareness of the health impacts on children from exposure to secondhand smoke and helping families take action to protect children from exposure to secondhand smoke, you can help protect children’s health.

What You Can Do: 

Use the Care for Their Air tip sheets to make the Head Start community aware of the dangers of secondhand smoke.

• Care for Their Air: Promoting Smoke-Free Homes and Cars for Head Start Families
• Care for Their Air: For Families
• Care for Their Air: For Family Service Workers
• Care for Their Air: For Health Managers
• Care for Their Air: For Health Service Advisory Committees
• Care for Their Air: For Home Visitors
• Care for Their Air: For Program Directors
• Care for Their Air: For Teachers