Health experts explain how to keep Minnesota kids safe outside when air quality dips

Hazy, smoke-filled skies prompted yet another red alert for air quality Tuesday, pushing a St. Paul Public Schools' outdoor program indoors, and sparking conversations among officials about canceling a Wednesday morning canoe trip.

It's at least the second such programming pivot the school district has taken this summer as the Twin Cities experience a protracted period of poor air quality from Canadian wildfire smoke and ozone pollution. Experts say it's likely to last all summer as thousands of kids participate in Minneapolis and St. Paul summer programs, raising safety questions for parents as air quality alerts have become a fixture of smartphone weather apps.

Dr. Keith Cavanaugh, a pediatric pulmonologist at Children's Minnesota, said most parents should watch for children running out of breath, coughing or otherwise slowing down while they play outside. At that point, kids participating in particularly strenuous activities - think soccer or other sports that require a lot of running - might want to consider taking a break or heading inside.

https://www.startribune.com/what-parents-should-know-summer-wildfire-smoke-air-quality-alerts-aqi-twin-cities/600285741/