National Child Health Day was first proclaimed by President Calvin Coolidge in 1928, who declared "that a day should be set apart each year for the direction of our thought toward the health and well-being of our children." It is celebrated on the first Monday in October.

Here are some tips from the U.S. EPA's Office of Children's Health Protection for keeping your child's environment healthy:

Help Children Breathe Easier

• Don't smoke or let others smoke in your home or car.
• Keep your home as clean as possible. Dust, mold, certain household pests, secondhand smoke, and pet dander can trigger asthma attacks and allergies.
• Limit outdoor activity when air pollution is bad such as on ozone alert days.

Protect Children From Lead Poisoning

• Wash children's hands before they eat and wash bottles, pacifiers, and toys often.
• Wash floors and window sills to protect kids from dust and peeling paint contaminated with lead - especially in older homes.
• Run the cold water for 30 seconds to flush lead from pipes.
• Get kids tested for lead - check with your doctor.
• Test your home for lead paint hazards if it was built before 1978.

Protect Children From Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning

• Have fuel-burning appliances, furnace flues and chimneys checked once a year.
• Never use gas ovens or burners for heat and never use barbecues/grills indoors or in the garage.
• Never sleep in rooms with unvented gas or kerosene space heaters.
• Don't run cars or lawnmowers in the garage.
• Install a UL approved CO detector in sleeping areas

Keep Children Away From Pesticides and Other Toxic Chemicals

• Put food and trash away in closed containers to keep pests from coming into your home.
• Don't use pesticides if you don't have to - look for alternatives.
• Read product labels and follow directions.
• Use bait & traps instead of bug sprays when you can and place the bait & traps where kids can't get them.
• Store where kids can't reach them and never put in other containers that kids can mistake for food or drink.
• Keep children, toys & pets away when using pesticides and don't let them play in fields, orchards and gardens after pesticides have been used.
• Wash fruits and vegetables under running water before eating - peel them when possible.

Protect Children From Too Much Sun

• Have them wear hats, sunglasses, and protective clothing.
• Use sunscreen on kids over 6 months and keep infants out of the sun.
• Keep them out of the mid-day sun - the sun is most intense between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.

Safeguard Them From High Levels of Radon

• Test your home for radon with a home test kit.
• Fix your home if your radon level is 4 pCi/L or higher. If you need help, call your State radon office or 1-800-644-6999.

Protect Children From Contaminated Fish and Polluted Water

• Call the local or state health department to learn about any local advisories for limiting the amount of fish to be eaten or beach closings.
• Take used motor oil to a recycling center and properly dispose of toxic household chemicals.
• Find out what's in your local drinking water - call your local water system for your annual drinking water quality report or, if you have a private home drinking water well, test it every year.