Study Finds Asthma in 25% of Children in Central Harlem

The New York Times ^ | 04/18/2003 | RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA

[DeepInEnemyTerritory]

Children who have asthma are eligible for an SSI disability check in the amount of 552.00 per month. There are other perc's involved in having a "disabled child" in your household like being able to stay on welfare beyond the 5 year time limit because the parent is unable to work due to having to care for the child. There is priority low income housing available and the list goes on and on.

Of course, I'm sure that has nothing to do it. (sarcasm off)

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Cockroach allergy is the most common cause of asthma.

Lesson: clean your house once in a while and your kids probably won't get asthma.

Of course, if they don't get asthma you won't be able to collect the SSI check every month.

[joesnuffy]

Neat if I have ten kids with asthma I get $5520/month or $66240 a year tax free?
Can I order cockroaches online?

[DeepInEnemyTerritory]

Basically, yes. The way welfare programs work, the first child is eligible for 400.00 p/mo and for each additional child in the household on the grant, an extra 200.00 is added. (these are hyopthetical numbers) Not the case with SSI. Each child is eligible for the entire 552.00 p/mo no matter how many children in the household are on SSI. You are correct regarding SSI being completly tax free also.

[Living Free in NH]

Children who have asthma are eligible for an SSI disability check in the amount of 552.00 per month.

Please tell me this isn't true. Is this in addition to any welfare payments/food stamps/WIC they may be receiving?

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

A recent scientific study concluded that children living near farms, growing up inhaling good old-fashioned dirt (and especially the natural biproducts of 4-legged domestic animals) weren't bothered by asthma. I thought this study would rock the medical/scientific/social world...but it seems to have disappeared into the same black hole that swallowed the truth about Kyoto, recycling, and how many trees are cut down to produce the Sunday NY Times.

[cksharks]

I have my opinion on why minorities live in droves in big cities and small cities but I would like to hear someone elses.

[Mamzelle]

Well--there is a very real increase in the incidence of asthma in the US. Find the cause, somebody, and do us a great service.

[Dianna]

Children who have asthma are eligible for an SSI disability check in the amount of 552.00 per month.

Are you kidding me? My oldest has asthma. What on earth is the money for?

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

Maybe New York should borrow from Hong Kong's ad campaign?

[ALS]

Amen sister!

[DeepInEnemyTerritory]

It is in addition to the food stamps and WIC, but not cash welfare benefits.
Scenario:
1 mthr and 5 children on a 6 person welfare grant. Cash grant (not including food stamps, medicaid, Section 8 housing, ect) totals $1400.00 p/mo because there is a 400.00 p/mo allowance on the first child, and 200.00 p/mo allowance on each additional child. The SSI eligible child would be taken of the welfare grant lowering it to 1200.00 p/mo and start getting the 552.00 p/mo SSI check.
Now I know what you are thinking, why not just just deduct the 552.00 from the 1400.00 and make the new welfare grant 848.00 p/mo? Because.
Disclaimer: I do not live in New York. This scenario is the way I understand the welfare program to work in general. The above referenced welfare dollar amounts were picked at random. I do not know the exact welfare dollar amount for New York. Also, the federal SSI amount is 552.00 p/mo, but New York adds an additional "State Supplemental amount" onto the SSI check. That extra amount is approx 60.00 p/mo.

[DeepInEnemyTerritory]

To borrow a quote from the libs, "Its for the children"

[NativeNewYorker]

Children who have asthma are eligible for an SSI disability check

Thank you. I've noticed lots of asthma-related advertising on the buses and subway lines that I share with Harlem. I've been wondering why that particular ailment got singled out for attention.

I can't imagine that Harlem's air/conditions are any worse than those in the South Bronx (literally a stone's throw downwind) or the nastier parts of Brooklyn.

Looks like Charlie Rangel (D-Harlem) is doing his job.

[DeepInEnemyTerritory]

Correction:
"Children who have asthma are eligible for an SSI disability check"

There children with very slight cases of asthma. Those children may not be eligible for SSI because the asthma is not severe enough.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

"We found that a lot of kids are floating through life without anyone knowing they have asthma."

If that is true in Harlam and they are only finding this out because they are testing every kid then logically if they would have to test every kid in the USA to know if the number is unusually high or if slight cases of asthma are common in the general population.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

Cigarrettes. Many African-Americans smoke. Less caucasians smoke. Cigarrettes cause asthma.

[RnMomof7]

Cockroach allergy is the most common cause of asthma.

I never knew I had Asthma untill I went to work in a roach infested building.

When I was allergy tested that was my ONLY Allergy ..and that explained the soon frequent asthma attacks I had while working there.

But it is simplistic to blame the victim. That building had exterminators in once a month and the roaches still ruled..It was a commercial building with no one living in it.

Roaches are like a plague they will be alive when we are gone. When in Fla I saw one the size of a turtle..

My question is how is it years after all the enviornmental folks have "cleaned " up our air is there more not less Resp problems?

[CPOSharky]

*** My question is how is it years after all the enviornmental folks have "cleaned " up our air is there more not less Resp problems? ***

Air quality (or secondhand smoke) is not the cause of asthma. Therefore the envirowackos can scream for more money to clean up the air because no matter how clean the air gets, the asthma rate never goes down.

Kinda nice way to guarentee a life-long job.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

But it is simplistic to blame the victim.

Not when the "victim" is awarded MY FICA tax dollars in the form of SSI payments as compensation for a self-inflicted maladay.