When smoke from wildfires in Canada spread to the Midwest and Eastern United States, families gathered for an end-of-school picnic at Burns Park Elementary in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Shannon Hautamaki, a concerned parent, worried about her son, Ian, who has severe asthma. She took extra precautions to protect him from the smoke’s effects.
As respiratory health specialists, we immediately thought about children like Ian when the wildfire smoke engulfed parts of the United States. Children’s developing lungs are particularly vulnerable to smoke inhalation, especially those with asthma who may not have access to necessary medications or clean indoor spaces. This recurring threat of poor air quality due to wildfires leads us to believe that climate change will have the greatest impact on a child’s overall health.
Wildfire smoke poses greater health risks than traditional campfire smoke. One study revealed that it can be ten times more harmful to children’s respiratory health compared to regular pollution from everyday sources. Recently, when smoke covered New York City, emergency room visits for asthma spiked, disproportionately affecting Black and Latino children who are often exposed to more pollution. Younger children face a higher risk of hospitalization after smoke exposure due to their rapid lung growth and increased time spent outdoors.
In California, we have experienced days where the neonatal intensive care unit smelled of smoke due to overwhelming black plumes from nearby wildfires. Premature infants with fragile lungs were exposed to these toxic fumes, as the hospital’s air filtration system struggled to keep up. Smoke exposure has also been linked to higher rates of prematurity, low birth weight, and even damage to organs beyond the lungs, such as the brain and liver.
The effects of fossil fuel pollution and climate change are unavoidable, infiltrating our homes like smoke particles seeping through cracks. These effects extend beyond wildfire smoke, putting every child at risk and compounding health issues that can persist for years. Climate change threatens the basics of survival, including clean air, water, food, and shelter.
Last week, areas affected by choking smoke were also put under heat advisories, placing children, who already have trouble regulating their body temperature, at higher risk. In the short term, we can take simple public health measures to protect children from climate change-related threats like wildfire smoke. Improved air quality data and monitoring systems are essential, especially in schools and low-income communities.
Moreover, clear health warnings should reach those with limited internet access through community alert systems. Schools and summer camps require guidance on how to respond when air pollution levels exceed thresholds. Funding for upgrading heating and cooling systems in schools is necessary to ensure clean indoor air. California is leading the way with legislation focused on climate resilience and modernizing school buildings.
While emergency preparedness is crucial, prevention is equally important. We need to transition away from fossil fuels, which contribute to the planet’s dangerous heating. Legislation, like the Inflation Reduction Act, supports this transition towards renewable energy. We must pressure policymakers to address the connection between fossil fuels and poor health by implementing rules to regulate carbon pollution from power plants and combat worsening wildfires and heatwaves.
It’s crucial to remember that a better, healthier future for our children is within our reach. Although children can adapt, they remain vulnerable to climate change. Let’s work towards turning things around and safeguarding their well-being.
Alexander Rabin is a clinical assistant professor of pulmonary and critical-care medicine at the University of Michigan. Lisa Patel is a clinical associate professor of pediatrics at Stanford Children’s Health and executive director of the Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
