Children are Vulnerable to Acute Lungs Infections Due to Poor Air Quality
25 Nov 2021
Indoor air may carry a composite-combination of harmful-contaminants. The most common indoor impurities include environmental tobacco smoke, fire products, VOCs, and bio-allergens. Children are highly at risk due to the high concentration of indoor air pollution as their lungs are still developing.
A new WHO report on Air pollution and child health has shed some light on the reasons why newborns and young children are particularly exposed to the adverse impact of indoor air pollution. According to the report, they inhale more quickly than adults and therefore they absorb more contaminants and small particles through the air.
They are also closer to the surfaces, where some indoor contaminants are found in high concentrations – it is highly injurious to their health at a time when their brains and lungs are growing.
Contaminating fuels and technologies used for heating, lighting, and cooking are also a common source of poor indoor air quality.
“Air Pollution is stunting our children’s brains, affecting their health in more ways than we suspected. But there are many straight forward ways to reduce emissions of dangerous pollutants,” Dr. Maria Neira, Director, Department of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health at WHO.
Actions for Individuals to Reduce the Exposure:
Monitor Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality is said to be more hazardous than outdoor air quality. Monitoring IAQ is important because an individual spends about 90 percent of his/her time inhaling indoor air. Therefore, it is necessary to figure out the level of pollutants that can potentially affect the residents.
PetriMed CA Air Quality Monitor is a hand-held device, designed and manufactured by experienced engineers. It is efficient to PM 2.5, PM 10, CO2, and TVOC and other indoor pollutants in real-time. When compared to other devices available in the market, it seems to be more effective with accuracy.
Know the Surroundings
The kids and adults living nearby highways or construction sites are highly susceptible to acute respiratory diseases due to the high concentration of air pollution. Therefore, it is necessary to know the surroundings so as to AdoptEffective Measures to Improve IAQ
People may not have considered much about the protective measures for improving indoor air quality before the pandemic, but it has shed some light on the importance of hygiene and a healthy environment. Air purification systems fitted with the latest filtration technologies can be one of the most effective measures to fight poor IAQ. But it is vital to choose the device very carefully as investing in a substandard air purifier for a home can no longer be effective in today’s virus-ridden environment.
PetriMed CA Air Purification System has emerged with popularity due to the high-end filtration technologies it is using. Engineered with better-than-medical-and-aviation-grade filters, it can capture 99.999% of allergens and indoor pollutants.
Avoid Heavy Traffic
Avoiding heavy traffic can be another effective measure against air pollution. Some research concludes that vehicle fumes and dust can worsen the air quality inside a car.
Apart from these effective measures, there are also some easy-to-do practices to protect newborns and young kids from indoor air pollution:
· Avoid smoking indoor
· Don’t use toxic chemicals in household use like room fresheners, floor cleaners
· Cook in a well-ventilated area
· Switch over to cleaner fuels for cooking such as electricity, LPG, natural gas, etc.
Adopting these effective precautions can undoubtedly help you control the indoor environment by keeping pollutants and allergens at bay.