Delhi feels no less than a gas chamber right now. Post Diwali the air quality index of the national capital has worsened making it tough to breathe. The current AQI in Delhi is over 300 which comes under the ‘very poor’ category and has increased health problems including respiratory diseases, skin issues, heart problems, damaging immunity and irritation in eyes across all age groups.
However, there is a certain age group that is more at risk than anyone else — Children. Children are the most impacted by air pollution. This is because of many reasons including: - They breathe faster than adults and thus take in larger volumes of pollutants compared to their body weight.
- Secondly, toxins cause infections and diseases that hinder the normal development of the lungs in children, leading to various health problems. Children growing up in an area with polluted ambient air are prone to developing respiratory ailments like asthma and bronchitis and have impaired lung function due to recurring infections. Studies have shown that over 2.
2 million schoolchildren in Delhi have irreversible lung damage due to poor air quality. We got in touch with Dr Shreya Dubey, Consultant - Neonatology and Paediatrics, CK Birla Hospital Gurugram who shares that air pollution significantly affects lung development in children leading to long-term respiratory health issues. “Children are particularly vulnerable because their respiratory system is still in the developing stage and also they bre.