Chicago must do more to erase racial disparities in childhood asthma

A child with asthma plays with an inhaler outside the Environmental Protection Agency office in the Loop at a March 23 rally by Pilsen residents and leaders who opposed a permit for a local metal shredder because of air quality concerns. (Pat Nabong/Sun-Times)

As pediatricians, advocates, and parents, it is concerning to learn that disparities are worsening among Chicago children with asthma.

In Chicago, approximately one out of seven children lives with asthma. The rates are higher among Black and Hispanic/Latino children, with one out of every four children having asthma. With proper treatment and education, children with asthma should be able to do everything that a child without asthma can do, without needing to stay overnight in the hospital or visit an emergency department.