Pollution can be found in the air, water, soil, and chemicals, among other places. Essentially, it exists in today’s world due to all the resources and fossil fuels that are emitted. Human exposure to air pollutants is a significant public health concern because it is a leading cause of illness and death worldwide. Children’s health is most impacted due to exposure to contaminated water and air, and the most common disorders discovered are gastrointestinal and respiratory (Landrigan et al., 2019). Environmental pollution poses a significant threat to children’s health worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), since most of the products dangerous to the environment are located there.
Ambient air and chemical pollution are the fast-growing types of pollution that are significantly dangerous for children’s health conditions. They are getting worse in the overpopulated countries with lower or middle income (Landrigan et al., 2019). According to Landrigan et al. (2019, “ninety-two percent of pollution-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries – environmental injustice on a global scale, and in countries at every income level, pollution, and pollution-related disease are disproportionately concentrated in poor, minority and marginalized communities” (p. 2390). Due to air pollution, children become more susceptible to lung and heart diseases, and their immune system suffers. Pollution has also been related to several non-communicable illnesses (NCDs) in children, including asthma, low birth weight, neurodevelopmental abnormalities, and cancer, all of which are on the rise (Landrigan et al., 2019). Most LMICs are in a dilemma between ensuring industrialization, job creation, and ending other infectious diseases. Therefore, pollution prevention poses a significant, primarily untapped opportunity to enhance children’s health and curb NCDs. Generally, the missed chance for intervention is due to the failure to integrate children as an at-risk population into the control strategies.
Particular matter (PM), as the main component that pollutes the air, can influence children’s health before their birth and become the reason for the further development of incurable diseases or innate pathologies. Based on research, it has been scientifically established that if the mother were exposed to fine or ultrafine particular matter directly or indirectly, the children would likely have weak cardio and respiratory systems, immune status, and brain development (Johnson et al., 2021). Prenatal exposure to PM changed lymphocyte (T and B cells) patterns in umbilical cord blood, typical of neonatal adaptive immunity (Johnson et al., 2021). Early pregnancy contact led to a rise in T cells while reducing natural killer and B cells (Johnson et al., 2021). According to Johnson et al. (2021, growing data suggest that early PM exposure affects the neurodevelopmental and promotes cognitive decline, particularly conflict in attentional network and working memory. These conditions cost the government a lot of money to fund special needs institutions and resources. Generally, since newborns are susceptible to respiratory infections, PM’s impact on their body defense could significantly affect the mortality rate.
Air pollution limits the growth of children’s lungs. Since lungs grow and develop long after the child’s birth, the impact of polluted air on his health should be regarded in the long-term perspective. The Southern California Children’s Health study proved that air pollution reduced the growth of lungs, and they could never work as needed (American Lung Association (ALA), 2020). According to Johnson et al. (2021), prenatal PM exposure has a range of impacts on respiratory wellness and lung development that can last into infancy. PM contamination during childhood can cause abnormal alveolarization and decreased lung function, all of which can have chronic and acute health implications (Johnson et al., 2021). Children’s alveoli do not fully mature until they reach adulthood. Additionally, the body’s defense mechanisms that help adults fight illnesses in infants are still growing. Hence, they are more susceptible to air pollution than adults, evidenced by increased respiratory diseases. Moreover, babies do not act like adults, and their behaviors impact their susceptibility. They spend more time outside and are usually more active outdoors. Therefore, they breathe more contaminated air than other people of advanced age.
Despite the challenges, especially in LMICs, the environmental policies conducted by many countries today aim to reduce air pollution and its influence on all people, including children, and their results are quite promising. There is proof that lowering pollution levels can help safeguard children from adverse implications in the real-world (ALA, 2020). Children who grow up in cleaner environments have significantly improved lung function, which could benefit them for the rest of their lives. As the researchers have pointed out, changes in air quality have the potential to help all infants (ALA, 2020). Minimizing exposure when legislation delays and the efficiency of mitigation techniques can aid in lowering health consequences in children and improve overall environmental outcomes (Johnson et al., 2021). Pollution and its adverse effects on children’s health can be mitigated by reducing hazardous substance emissions into the atmosphere. Governments should develop legislation to decrease industrial discharges and waste disposal to help with water contamination. Finally, buying organic products or avoiding using pesticides in farming could help lessen the detrimental effects of soil and chemical pollution.
Not all people, especially in LMICs, are aware of the impact of pollution on their health and their children’s wellbeing. That is why they do not pay much attention to this matter, since they have more significant issues, such as the lack of money or food. Most LMICs are torn between industrialization, employment creation, and eradicating other illnesses. According to Landrigan et al. (2019), the precise influence of pollution, especially chemical contamination, on the global burden of childhood disease is unknown. Hence, it is largely overlooked, particularly in LMICs, where exposure patterns are rarely reported, and many possible hazards are undocumented. As the health consequences of novel environmental contaminants are better identified and new links between pollution and ailment are revealed, the number of children with NCDs and other impacts linked to pollution is likely to reduce (Landrigan et al., 2019). Governments should increase awareness and sensitization programs to educate parents and caregivers on the impacts of exposing infants to PM and other contaminants. Ultimately, legislation can be enacted to ensure that industries and households comply with minimal disposal of waste into the environment.
In brief, environmental pollution is a substantial concern to children’s health worldwide, particularly in LMICs, where most environmentally hazardous production occurs. The exact impact of pollution, especially chemical contamination, on the worldwide burden of pediatric disease is not been thoroughly studied. Therefore, it is virtually underestimated since exposure trends are poorly documented, and many potential toxicities are unknown, especially in LMICs. Overall, a better knowledge of the wide range of health effects associated with developmental exposure to PM promotes public health initiatives that minimize particle air pollution, mainly for this vulnerable demographic and underserved populations.
References
American Lung Association (2020). Children and air pollution. American Lung Association. Web.
Johnson, N.M., Hoffmann, A. R., Behlen, J. C., Lau, C., Pendleton, D., Harvey, N., Shore, R. Li, Y., Chen, J., Tian, Y. & Zhang, R. (2021). Air pollution and children’s health – a review of adverse effects associated with prenatal exposure from fine to ultrafine particulate matter. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 26(1). Web.
Landrigan, P. J., Fuller, R., Fisher, S., Suk, W. A., Sly, P., Chiles, T. C. & Bose-O’Reilly, S. (2019). Pollution and children’s health. Science of The Total Environment, 650(2), 2389–2394. Web.