Healthy Learning
Indoor air quality contaminants in schools can impact the health and performance of children and teachers. Some of the consequences of an unhealthy school environment include: difficulties in student learning; high rates of absenteeism; unexplained tiredness or lethargy; and health problems including asthmatic attacks, nose bleeds, headaches, skin irritations, and flu-like symptoms.
How do I know if my child is studying in a contaminated environment?
Portable Extensions - Schools with inadequate space often use portable extensions or trailers as classrooms. Most of these portables are not designed for weather conditions. As a result of rain or condensation, mould can grow quickly in portables and lead to unhealthy classroom conditions.
Changes in Health - A contaminated classroom environment can result in your child feeling sick while inside the classroom, but healthy within the outside or home environment. Sometimes, the symptoms may be continuous and persist even while he or she is at home. Common symptoms include increased asthma attacks, allergic reactions, frequent nose bleeds, skin irritations, itchy or watery eyes, and difficulty breathing. If your child already has health problems, being in an unhealthy environment can make their health even worse.
Changes in Performance - Performance in school is linked to a number of factors. While an unhealthy environment is not always the cause of poor performance in school, research has shown that children studying in an unhealthy environment tend to find concentration more difficult. General comfort factors such as temperature, ventilation, and relative humidity are also important to ensuring that your child has the conditions most conducive to studying and concentrating.
What are common contaminants that can be found in schools?
There are a number of contaminants that can be found in school environments. A few include:
What can I do if I suspect an unhealthy school environment?
To maintain a healthy school environment requires the participation of everyone. If you suspect that your school is an unhealthy environment, or that it has air quality issues, talk to the teachers or staff. The USEPA has developed the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools kit that shows schools how to implement a plant of action to improve indoor air problems. Many of the actions can be done in little or no cost using readily available resources. The guidance provided by the Tools for Schools kit can help schools save time and money so that they can focus resources on what is most important: providing quality education.
How do I know if my child is studying in a contaminated environment?
Portable Extensions - Schools with inadequate space often use portable extensions or trailers as classrooms. Most of these portables are not designed for weather conditions. As a result of rain or condensation, mould can grow quickly in portables and lead to unhealthy classroom conditions.
Changes in Health - A contaminated classroom environment can result in your child feeling sick while inside the classroom, but healthy within the outside or home environment. Sometimes, the symptoms may be continuous and persist even while he or she is at home. Common symptoms include increased asthma attacks, allergic reactions, frequent nose bleeds, skin irritations, itchy or watery eyes, and difficulty breathing. If your child already has health problems, being in an unhealthy environment can make their health even worse.
Changes in Performance - Performance in school is linked to a number of factors. While an unhealthy environment is not always the cause of poor performance in school, research has shown that children studying in an unhealthy environment tend to find concentration more difficult. General comfort factors such as temperature, ventilation, and relative humidity are also important to ensuring that your child has the conditions most conducive to studying and concentrating.
What are common contaminants that can be found in schools?
There are a number of contaminants that can be found in school environments. A few include:
- Mould
- High dust loads
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde
- Pesticides / Herbicides
What can I do if I suspect an unhealthy school environment?
To maintain a healthy school environment requires the participation of everyone. If you suspect that your school is an unhealthy environment, or that it has air quality issues, talk to the teachers or staff. The USEPA has developed the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools kit that shows schools how to implement a plant of action to improve indoor air problems. Many of the actions can be done in little or no cost using readily available resources. The guidance provided by the Tools for Schools kit can help schools save time and money so that they can focus resources on what is most important: providing quality education.
