DETROIT (WXYZ) — Detroiter Mayra Hernandez describes asthma as a roller coaster.
Tuesday afternoon she showed us the array of medicine and tools she uses to keep it at bay saying: "I’m a mom of three, all three of them have asthma, but the hardest one has been Gael."
Hernandez's 5-year-old Gael has had to go back and forth to the Children's Hospital of Michigan for treatment, she said he used to get upset that he couldn't keep up with other kids when they played.
"He’s a really active kid," said Hernandez. "But when it comes to his asthma he would just have to settle down because he would just start choking and coughing."
Unfortunately the Hernandez's story is a common one in Detroit.
This list from The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America lists Detroit as the 3rd most challenging place to live with asthma in the United States, that's up two spots from last year when it was listed as the 5th.
The foundation says asthma is greatly influenced by where someone lives.
Dr. Garen Wolff, allergist at DMC Harper University Hospital told 7 News Detroit that in Detroit global warming, car pollution, and refineries contribute to the asthma problem.
VIDEO: Extended interview: 'We can help this problem.' Dr. Garen Wolff talks about impact of asthma on our communities
"We’re the Motor City, most of our schools are next to highways, at least in Detroit," said Wolff. "We have the refineries, the Marathon Petroleum Refinery, U.S. Steel, they’re still there."
Wolff said the month of September is typically the peak for asthma-related attacks as the weather changes.
She said in recent years there has been an inhaler shortage, and to reduce the risk of attacks we need better insurance coverage for inhalers.
She also said people at risk need to make an asthma action plan, "Because the asthma action plan shows adults and children how to manage their asthma when it’s stable, and when it is not stable."
Hernandez made plans for each of her children, she also got the recommended surgeries for Gael and said he's now doing much better.
"It’s a huge relief to me to have him under control," said Hernandez.
USA sprinter, Noah Lyles, crowned the "fastest man alive" has asthma.
As Dr. Wolff says asthma is a problem, but not one that is unsolvable.
"We are working as best we can to reduce the amount of adults and kids going to the ER, it just takes a big community effort," said Dr. Wolff.
