How clean indoor air helps lungs to relax ?

Pollution can never be less harmful to you and your baby at any stage of life. With the researches and studies showing deteriorating air quality levels, it is becoming imperative for parents to start seeking solutions they could offer early on to help their child breathe pure air. The PM 2.5 levels in Delhi are as high as close to 500 and PM10 as high as 650 which is alarming. 

Such pollution level attributes to reduction of lung function children of metro cities. Such children had increased prevalence of restrictive, obstructive as well as combined (both restrictive and obstructive) type of lung functions deficits.

Children are more vulnerable to Air Pollutants

Children in comparison to adults are more active outdoors. They are active outdoors during midday when air pollution levels tend to be at its acme. With more activity, they have significantly higher oxygen demands so their respiration rates are higher and they also inhale more air per unit of body weight than adults.

Considering the oxygen demand and because of their smaller stature they inhale air loaded with more particles. With the lungs still developing, they are more vulnerable to airborne insults.

Prolonged exposure to air pollutants can bring in respiratory issues in early age.

As parents, it is essential to know that the air inside your house is also not pollution free! It is laden with pollutants. Indoor air pollutants include mites, pollens, cleaning agents, pesticides, mosquito coils, cigarette smoke, cooking gas, kerosene burning gas, incense sticks and dust on the carpet. Harmful elements like toxins, carcinogens and organic pollutants are also mixed in the air around us, and guess what – these are not just present in outdoor air but are very much present in the indoor air too (yes, even in the air in our bedrooms).

With such prolonged exposure to air pollutants, they tend to develop more ‘upper respiratory symptoms’ such as running or stuffy nose, sneezing, sinusitis and sore throat. Such symptoms also accompany with fever ‘lower respiratory symptoms’ such as dry cough, sputum-producing cough, wheezing breath and disturbed sleep due to breathing problems.

Environmental toxins and Neurodevelopmental disorders

A   number of   research   have   pointed   out   the   relationship   between   in   utero   exposure   to environmental toxicants and an increase in the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. Although it still demands  a  lot  of  research  on  the  inheritability  of  epigenetic  alteration  by  environmental toxicants cut its knowledge shall immensely aid in the prevention of neurodevelopmental disorders.

Cleaner Indoor air helps lungs to relax

Around 60-70% of the times our children remain indoor.   Cleaner indoor air helps children to get more Alveolar macrophage (AM), lungs cells that clean off micro-organisms and dust particles. Increase in AM number signifies more exposure to particulate pollution as AM represents the first line of cellular defence against inhaled pollutants. If the children are exposed to cleaner air the count decreases showing signs of Lungs getting to their normal state. With two-third of their time spent indoor either at home or at school indoor air quality seems to have significant influence on children’s health and immunity.

Disclaimer: A message sponsored by Philips to help you breathe easy. Opinions expressed above are independent opinions of the author