A non-polluted air environment is crucial during the early years of life to ensure proper lung development and reduce the risk of chronic respiratory diseases. In particular, the first six years of life is a critical window for lung development. Exposure to clean air promotes the optimal growth of the airway and lung tissue during this time, and the trajectory for the rest of life is determined at the same time. In other words, if airway and lung growth is sub-optimal in the first six years, it will be very difficult to change the lung function trajectory for the rest of life.
— Asia-Pacific Regional Network for Early Childhood and Vital Strategies
This factsheet explains how the higher respiratory rates of children mean they take in more air than adults, and thus why air quality is particularly important to children.
— Zeng Lewei, Li Kaimin, Guo Hai et al.
An academic study which found that exposure to pollutants induced higher health risks in children than adults.
— Guo Cui, Hoek Gerard, Chang Ly-Yun et al.
Ambient PM2.5 concentrations were inversely associated with lung function in children, adolescents and young adults in Taiwan.
Ambient PM2.5 was studied in this research; however, the WHO has pointed out in its Guidelines for IAQ that there is no convincing evidence of a difference in the hazardous nature of particulate matter from indoor sources as compared with those from outdoors.
— Ghosh Rakesh, Causey Kate, Burkart Katrin et al.
It is found in this global study that household PM2.5 were associated with reduced birth weight and early birth.
– I. Alameddine, K. Gebrael, F. Hanna et al.
In this study done in Beirut, Lebanon, schools using chalkboards tended to have higher net indoor PM2.5 sources than schools using whiteboards.
– Meredith C McCormack, Patrick N Breysse, Elisabeth C Matsui et al.
In this study done in Baltimore, the United States, in-home particulate matter concentrations were found to be associated with increased asthma symptoms and the need for rescue medication among pre-school children.
— Hong Kong Government
-Emily Midouhas, Theodora Kokosi, Eirini Flouri
In this study done in England and Wales in the United Kingdom, it is found that damp/condensation and secondhand smoke in the home at age nine months and/or age three years were correlated with lower school readiness at age three.