Children are more vulnerable than adults to the adverse effects of air pollution

Dec 7 2004

Children are more vulnerable than adults to the adverse effects of air pollution for several reasons. First, children have increased exposure to many air pollutants because they spend more time outside, have higher breathing rates and higher levels of physical activity compared with adults.

In addition, the human lung continues to develop through adolescence, and exposure to harmful air pollutants during childhood has an important impact on lung development.

In a revised policy statement entitled, "Ambient Air Pollution: Health Hazards to Children" the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises that not only can outdoor air pollution exacerbate asthma in some children, but recent studies have found that pollution has the potential to negatively affect lung growth and function, and to increase cases of respiratory tract illness, preterm birth and infant mortality. The elderly and adults with cardiovascular disease are populations also at higher health risk from air pollution due to fine particles, such as soot and smoke.

According to the policy statement, exposure to traffic-related pollution, such as exhaust emissions from cars and diesel exhaust from trucks and even school buses, increases a child's risk of respiratory complications as well as lifetime risk of cancer.

The statement indicates that pediatricians play an essential part in educating local and national representatives, policy makers, children with asthma or chronic respiratory tract disease and school sports officials about the harmful health effects of air pollution, and advocating for prevention policies at the state and local level.

The Academy also makes the following recommendations in the policy statement:

• Areas with poor air quality should alert local residents about potential health hazards.

• Industrial mercury emissions need to be lowered.

• Local and federal government should encourage mass transit and car pooling.

• Old power plants should be closed or retrofitted if they don't meet current standards.

• Programs that exempt some passenger vehicles (e.g., SUV's, minivans, and light-duty trucks) from fuel-economy standards should be eliminated.

• New schools should be built away from "hot spots" of localized pollution.

The policy adds that pediatricians who serve as physicians for schools or for team sports should be aware of the health implications of pollution alerts to provide appropriate guidance to school and sports officials, particularly in communities with high ozone levels.