In many cities today, children are growing up with inhalers in their school bags. Parks sit under a haze. Morning walks begin with checking the air quality index. For parents, this is not a distant environmental debate. It is a daily health worry.“Air pollution is one of the biggest reasons we are seeing a rise in lung problems today,” says Dr Ravi Shekhar Jha, Director & Unit Head, Pulmonology, Fortis Escorts Hospital Faridabad. His words reflect what many families now experience: more coughing, more breathlessness, and more hospital visits.This is not just about smoggy skies. It is about what polluted air quietly does inside a child’s body.
What exactly are children breathing in?
In urban areas, the air often carries vehicle smoke, industrial emissions, construction dust, and fumes from burning waste. These pollutants mix and linger, especially in winter months when wind speed drops.“The most harmful part of polluted air is fine dust called PM2.5,” explains Dr Jha. “These tiny particles go deep into the lungs and cause continuous irritation and swelling.”PM2.5 particles are so small that they bypass the body’s natural defenses. They slip past the nose and throat and settle deep inside lung tissue. Over time, this constant irritation can damage delicate airways.Children breathe faster than adults. That means they inhale more air per kilogram of body weight. So when the air is polluted, they also inhale more toxins relative to their size.
Why growing lungs are at greater risk
A child’s lungs are still developing through adolescence. The air sacs multiply, and lung capacity expands as the body grows.“Children are especially vulnerable because their lungs are still developing,” says Dr Jha. “Long-term exposure to polluted air can affect lung growth and result in permanently reduced lung capacity.”Research from global health agencies shows that children exposed to high pollution levels may never reach their full lung function potential. This can mean lower stamina in sports, frequent respiratory infections, and greater risk of chronic lung disease later in life.What feels like “just a cold” every few weeks may actually be irritated airways reacting to toxic air.
When asthma and pollution collide
For families managing asthma, pollution can feel like an invisible trigger that cannot be avoided.“Patients with asthma and other chronic lung diseases suffer the most,” notes Dr Jha. “On polluted days, asthma attacks become more frequent and inhalers are needed more often.”Emergency visits tend to rise when air quality worsens. Children with asthma may experience tightness in the chest, wheezing, and disturbed sleep. Repeated flare-ups can inflame airways further and make asthma harder to control over time.Children with chronic lung conditions may also face repeated chest infections. In severe cases, hospitalisation becomes necessary. This cycle can be stressful, expensive, and emotionally draining for families.Pollution does not always show immediate symptoms. Sometimes the harm builds quietly.“Over time, this leads to breathlessness, chronic cough and reduced stamina, even in people who were previously healthy,” Dr Jha explains.There is growing scientific evidence that long-term exposure to air pollution increases the risk of lung cancer, even in non-smokers. It also accelerates ageing of the lungs and reduces overall life expectancy.Elderly family members face higher risks too. Pollution can worsen both lung and heart conditions. For households with grandparents and young children under one roof, the same air can harm two vulnerable generations at once.Dr Jha offers a reality check: “While measures like wearing masks, limiting outdoor activity during peak pollution hours and improving indoor air quality can help, they are not enough. The real solution lies in controlling pollution at its source through cleaner fuels, better public transport, stricter emission norms and effective urban planning.”This means parents are not solely responsible for fixing the problem. Clean air requires policy change, civic responsibility, and collective action.“Clean air is not optional. It is essential for healthy lungs,” says Dr Jha. “Treating air pollution as a public health emergency is the first step towards protecting the respiratory health of future generations.”Children cannot choose the air they breathe. They depend on adults, systems, and governments to safeguard it.
