Hear From Dr. Cindy Salm Bauer, Division Chief and Medical Director of Allergy and Immunology, Phoenix Children’s
Have you ever stepped outside and seen a hazy orange sky and wondered if the air is safe to breathe? For families of kids with asthma or allergies, that question comes up more often than you might think. In this episode of Voices of Vital Care, host Nohelani Graf sits down with Dr. Cindy Salm Bauer, division chief and medical director of allergy and immunology at Phoenix Children’s, to talk about wildfire smoke, ozone, dust and pollen.
Dr. Salm Bauer also pulls back the curtain on the care team that helps kids with asthma stay active, including the respiratory therapists and medical assistants who are often the reason a family leaves the clinic breathing easier. If you have ever wondered where you might fit in health care, this conversation may provide some guidance.
When it comes to the day-to-day work of managing asthma, Dr. Salm Bauer points to the member of the care team that families lean on most.
“Respiratory therapists are like the experts in lung function and day-to-day care. They’re the ones that take the time to make sure that the children are doing the inhalers correctly. Does it have a spacer [a tube that attaches to an inhaler to help medicine reach the lungs]? How do we breathe? How do we puff?”
-Dr. Cindy Salm Bauer, division chief and medical director of allergy and immunology, Phoenix Children’s
That coaching matters more than you might think, because even the right inhaler can’t help if the medicine never reaches the lungs. Dr. Salm Bauer explains a few of the effects of air pollution on kids’ breathing, including why breathing ozone on a hot day is a little like getting a sunburn on your lungs, why children take in more pollution than adults do and the warning signs that it may be time to talk with your child’s doctor.
She is just as quick to credit the team member most patients meet first when they walk through the clinic door.
“Medical assistants are core. They are often the first face. They know the children well, and so they can also tell when something is off, even minutely.”
-Dr. Cindy Salm Bauer, division chief and medical director of allergy and immunology, Phoenix Children’s
Because medical assistants spend so much time rooming patients, answering refill calls and getting to know families, they are often the ones who sound the alarm so the rest of the team can act quickly.
In this episode, you will learn:
- Why ozone forms faster in hot, sunny climates and what it does to your airways
- Why kids are harder hit by poor air quality, from faster breathing to smaller bodies and still-developing lungs
- What happens inside the “twitchy” airways of a child with asthma when smoke, pollen or dust sets off a flare
- The signs that it’s time to talk to your child’s doctor, including sitting out of recess or PE and frequent, lingering colds
- Whether HEPA air purifiers are worth the cost, plus simple habits like showering and changing clothes after outdoor play
- The role of respiratory therapists in teaching inhaler technique and measuring lung function in clinical research
- Why medical assistants are often the first to notice when a patient isn’t doing well
- Why Dr. Salm Bauer believes the right care team means kids with asthma can do almost anything, from soccer to riding horses
Who this episode is for: Parents and caregivers of kids with asthma or allergies, anyone living where air quality alerts are common and those exploring a health care career in respiratory therapy or medical assisting.
Beyond the Episode
Respiratory therapy and medical assisting are both in growing demand. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, respiratory therapists earned a median annual wage of $82,280 in May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 9% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations, with approximately 8,600 openings each year.* The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also lists respiratory problems caused by smoking and air pollution as one source of continuing demand for respiratory therapists. Medical assistants earned a median annual wage of $45,690, and their employment is projected to grow 13% over the same period, with approximately 109,700 openings each year.**
As Dr. Salm Bauer describes, respiratory therapists work across outpatient clinics, intensive care units and clinical research. Medical assistants build lasting relationships with the families they see again and again. After an associate degree, respiratory therapists can continue their education through Pima Medical Institute’s online Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy.
Ready to learn more? Learn how to apply or reach out to the Pima Medical Institute admissions team to find out if the Respiratory Therapy associate degree program or the Medical Assistant certificate program is the right fit for you.
*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Respiratory Therapists, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/respiratory-therapists.htm (visited Sept. 30, 2026).
**Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical Assistants, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-assistants.htm (visited Sept. 30, 2026).
