AMERICAN
LUNG
ASSOCIATION.
We need your support to fight lung disease, the third leading
• • c.ause of death in the U.S. Call your local American Lung
Association to find Out how you can help.
Call l-800-LUNG-USA
%>•.',.•;•••.(•1-800-58H872)
National Web Site:
www,lungusa.org
When You Can't Breathe,
Nothing Else Matters®
SB AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION,
I
0074
12/99
Facts about
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A bout 17 million Americans suffer
/jk from asthma, and that number is
A. .arising. Air pollution, both inside and
outside your home, can make asthma worse.
The good news is that there are steps you can
take at home that may help prevent an asthma
attack.
If you have asthma and don't take proper
care, you may have to stay out of work. If
your child suffers from asthma he or she may
have to miss school, and even end up in the
hospital.
You may already know that at home,
smoke, dust, mold and pet dander can make
asthma worse.
But Did You
Know That,..
cockroaches may set off
asthma attacks? Small
pieces of dead roaches and
roach droppings settle in
house dust and can end up in the air you
breathe.
This is not good for your lungs and may
lead to stuffy nose, coughing, wheezing, a
feeling of tightness in your chest and short-
ness of breath.
Also, sprays and foggers used against
roaches have chemicals that may harm your
health.
« If using a gel or paste bait, use small dots
of bait in places you see the roaches
hiding. Baits can
take days or weeks
to act but they may
work very well.
You can follow
these steps to get rid
of roaches in your
home, as well as other
pests such as ants,
rats and mice!
It takes time to get rid of pests, so don't
give up if you don't see instant results.
For more information about the safe use
of pesticide in your home contact National
Pesticide Telecommunications Network
(NPTN) at 1-800-858-7378
For more information about asthma and/
or indoor air pollution call your local Ameri-
can Lung Association (ALA) at 1-800-
LUNG-USA or visit www.lungusa.org
Funding provided through a cooperative agree-
ment with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
©1999 American Lung Association
' 4
VST
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What Can You
Do To Get Rid
of Roaches?
Like humans, roaches
need food and water and
a place to live. Here are
some tips to help keep
your home roach-free.
1. Don't let them in:
• Seal roach hiding places
like cracks in walls,
along baseboards,
pipes, windows and
doors with caulk.
* Put in or repair screens.
© Check your grocery bags and boxes before
you enter your house so you don't bring
roaches home with you.
2. Keep them away from food:
® Store food in containers
with tight Mds.
« Eat only in certain places
like the dining area or
the kitchen.
• Clean up soon after eating
and wash the dishes. If you
have a pet, don't forget to clean the pet's
dish too,
® Tie up the top of plastic garbage bags and
take trash out regularly.
3. Keep them away
from water:
• Repair leaky pipes and
dripping faucets.
» Clean up spills.
• Wipe the sink and other
places where water sits, like the dish racks,
drip pans and plant saucers.
4. Clear up clutter;
» Get rid'of old news-papers and other
material where roaches can hide.
« Clean all rooms regularly. A vacuum
cleaner can pick up roach body parts and
droppings but don't vacuum near persons
with asthma.
• Mop the kitchen floor
with soapy water and
keep stoves, cabinets
and countertops clean.
If you Eve in an
apartment or a multiunit
house you may want to ask
your neighbors to work with you. Roaches
from one home can easily crawl into the next.
Talk to the building manager or owner and by
working together you may be able to get rid
of these pests from the entire building.
If you have tried steps 1-4
above and still have a
roach problem you may
have to choose a pesticide.
Do You Stil!
Roaches
in Your Home?
Use pesticides safely and only use the ones
you can buy in a retail store.
Read the label and use as directed.
Use baits instead of sprays and foggers
since baits are less likely to harm your
lungs. Place the baits out of reach of
children.
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