Study analyses, gathered by the United Nations Children Fund
(UNICEF) have shown that young children who inhale toxic air caused by air
pollution may risk damage of brain tissue and other cerebral challenges.
According to a UNICEF paper released on
Wednesday 6th December, 2017, babies between ages 0 – 1, who live in areas
where air pollution is higher than the international limits are potentially
putting their brain development at risk.
The
paper asserted that about 17 million babies under the age of one live in areas where air pollution exceeds World
Health Organisation recommended limits (10μg/m-3).
It revealed that the scourge can damage brain tissue
and undermine cognitive development especially in children.
The UNICEF Executive Director, Anthony Lake, quoted
in the paper said “Not only do pollutants harm babies’ development lungs, they
can permanently damage their developing brains and thus, their futures.”
The paper shows that air pollution, like inadequate
nutrition and stimulation, and exposure to violence during the critical first
1,000 days of life can impact children’s early childhood development by
affecting their growing brains.
It postulates that young children of the
aforementioned age are most vulnerable to the impact of air pollution than
adults because “it is the stage when the brain undergoes the most critical
and rapid growth.
“Young children’s immune systems are still developing,
and their lungs are still growing. With every breath, children take in more air
per unit of body weight than adults. By extension, when air is toxic, they take
in more toxic air per unit of body weight than adults.
“Children are
also highly vulnerable because to air pollution because their physical defenses
and immunities are not fully developed.
The paper further revealed that “Air pollution is
associated with some of the biggest killers of children, such as pneumonia,
which is responsible for the deaths of 920,000 children under 5 years of age
every year.
“While all children are vulnerable to air pollution,
the youngest children are most at risk.”
UNICEF in the paper outlined ways and methods of
reducing the impact of air pollution on children, both indoor and outdoor.
The suggested ways include replacing fossil fuel combustion with
cleaner, renewable sources of energy; and Proper disposal and recycling of
papers, plastics, metals and organic materials.
It also suggests that “improvements to ventilation and air filtration
systems, particularly in classrooms, clinics, houses and in hospitals, can make
indoor air pollution less harmful.
“Use of cleaner cook stoves can dramatically reduce indoor air
pollution. Globally, solid fuels, such as wood, charcoal, dung and crop
residues, are used in cooking
and heating by around 3 billion people34, which can cause indoor
air pollution to reach extremely high levels, especially if there is a lack of
adequate ventilation.”
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