Childhood asthma is a debilitating disease that affects the lungs of young children and can last throughout adulthood. This condition can cause a lot of pain and fear in young children, and can be heavy on their parents’ minds and pocketbooks. Not only is childhood asthma a terrifying experience, it is also on the rise. Several government studies have shown that childhood asthma conditions have increased by as much as 60 to 70 percent! Of course, some is these are probably doctors becoming better at diagnosing asthma conditions, but the rise is still astonishing. Childhood asthma is now the most common condition in the developed world, and things aren’t going to get better.

The problem is that the lungs are very sensitive organs that eagerly absorb inhaled air to pick up all the oxygen that they can. In the process, lungs also absorb any particles in the air straight into their tissues. You may not be surprised to learn that the air indoors is filled with all kinds of particles that can cause damage to the lung tissue. High on the list are particles produced from paint and outgassing. VOCs and other fume particles from paint are clearly bad news, causing a variety of illnesses throughout the body, but when a baby is raised in a home where there’s a lot of VOCs, its lungs can become permanently weakened.

You may have never heard of outgassing, but it happens when particle board used to build houses starts to “exhale” or release particles from inside its fibers into the air. Unfortunately, particle board is put together with truly nasty chemicals like formaldehyde, which have been proven to cause lung damage when they are breathed in. And before you start blaming these construction chemicals for all the asthma in the world, take a look at the studies done in Australia and Europe that link childhood asthma to common household cleaners, especially bleach. Window cleaners, air fresheners, and disinfectants were also pinpointed.

If you are worried about your child developing an asthma condition, you may be panicking–understandably–but fortunately there are things you can do to make your home safer and hopefully asthma-free. First, use green construction materials wherever possible. VOC-free paints and varnishes are a must. To get rid of the outgassing effect, try using green particle board instead. This board uses recycled lumber materials and natural resins instead of formaldehyde and other nasty chemicals. Finally, be extra careful of what chemical cleaners and cosmetics you use. When in doubt, always look at the labels. If there’s a warning sign, it’s there for a reason. Stay away from bleach and try using eco-friendly products, stain-fighting enzymes, and ionized water when possible.