Air Pollution and its Impact on Children: Polluted Air Equals Long-Term Issues - Essay Example

? Air Pollution and its Impact on Children: Polluted Air Equals Long-Term Issues HERE HERE The air of the United States and around the world, once clean and safe to breathe, has become a choked, tangled mess of particles, chemicals, and emissions. This is of particular concern to those that are children, as their small body weight and long-term lung development are at significant risk. Even before birth, exposure to air pollution has the potential to affect growth, development, and health of children; as they grow to maturity, health issues such as decreased lung function, cardiovascular disease, and even obesity and diabetes can occur. It is important to be mindful that those health issues are the ones that affect children not already suffering from a preexisting condition such as asthma or allergies; should this be the case, the impact of air pollution on the body of a child is almost unthinkable. Through book and internet research, as well as review of empirical research studies, this paper will examine the effects of air pollution and the impact of breathing dirty, clogged air on the health and lives of children. Air Pollution and its Impact on Children: Polluted Air Equals Long-Term Issues In the book for children entitled The Lorax, first published in 1971 by author Theodor S. Geisel, known to most as Dr. Seuss, a rather grim tale is told of environmental pollution and waste. Upon scenic and pristine land a factory moves in, and soon all around are forced to leave as the water is turned into sludge, the trees are ravaged and cut down for product, and the air is turned into smog. The “Lorax”, projecting himself as “speaking for the trees”, appears from a stump and comes through eloquently in his pleas with the owner of the factory, the “Once-ler”, as he tries to no avail to make the reality of destruction apparent. In the end, nothing is left except the factory itself and the pollution that was created, pollution that the factory created, which has not disappeared, even years later as the “Once-ler” sadly reminisces about what he has done to the land. All life around the factory has either been destroyed or fled the area, and barren desolation is all that is able to stay. Though at the time The Lorax was published Dr. Seuss was simply trying, as in many of his books, to teach lessons through lively, colorful characters and whimsical, sometimes nonsensical verses, the story of The Lorax has now become a reality throughout the world as pollution seeps into the skies and destroys the air. Across the United States and around the world, millions of people, including children, are living in areas where the air that they breathe is not healthy for them. It cannot be denied that the air, as time marches on, has gotten less and less attractive to breathe. Wide-open skies and sunny spaces free of pollution are becoming harder and harder to find. Since the end of World War II, more than 65,000 new chemical compounds have been released into the environment, including land, water, and air, and more chemical compounds are finding their way into the world every day (Pope, Snyder & Mood, 1995). A more sobering thought is that currently there are 72,000 chemicals in use on the open market, including those used in chemical processes and manufacturing, all of which are releasing some form of byproduct into the air (Pope, Snyder & Mood, 1995). A report released in 1979 by the Surgeon General noted that “there is virtually no chronic disease to which environmental factors do not contribute, either directly or indirectly” (Pope, Snyder & Mood, 1995). Unfortunately, things have not gotten better with time, and the same can still be said of air pollution in 2012. In some areas, the air carries serious health risks to all that breathe it. According to the American Lung Association (2012), over 127 million people, approximately 41% of the United States, still breathe air that carries hazardous levels of pollution. Despite laws such as the Clean Air Act, passed in 1970, the United States continues to display levels of pollution in cities across the country that are far beyond standards of what is considered safe, especially for children (American Lung Association, 2012). This is disturbing, considering that there is, in reality, little change in terms of numbers from previous reports. In 2002, approximately 146 million Americans were found to be living in places that were deemed unsatisfactory in regards to air quality, despite the passage of the 1997 National Ambient Air Quality Standards (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2004). This means that, out of the entire United States, only 19 million people have had their air improved, and though it may seem that it is a step in the right direction, there are still many more steps to take to protect those that are in immediate danger. While there can be no doubt that standards have improved, and the number of people living in unhealthy, polluted air is getting smaller, the changes cannot come soon enough, especially for children, who will continue to be among the most susceptible to suffering detrimental health issues due to air pollution. Causes of Pollution Air pollution comes from many sources which, when taken singularly, may not pose a significant health risk to any child, but when taken together form a sobering picture of air pollution and ongoing air quality. In its most basic definition, air pollution is defined as matter such as particles or other emissions that is introduced to the natural environment which, in turn, causes harm to humans and other natural organisms, including the natural environment (Kelishadi & Poursafa, 2010). Furthermore, there are what is known as six “criteria air pollutants” that have been seen as the major stressors in regards to air pollution (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2004). These have been defined as particulate matter (PM), including what is known as PM2.5 and PM10, ozone (O3), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and lead (Kelishadi & Poursafa, 2010). All of the six are released in different ways into the atmosphere, whether as byproducts of fossil fuel burning, transportation emissions, or manufacturing emissions (Kelishadi & Poursafa, 2010). Though the ways in which they are put into the environment and their chemical and molecular structure are all different, they do share one thing in common. They are all causing detrimental health effects in children, starting before they are even born to later in life, with devastating affects along the path to adulthood. Air Pollution and Child Health The negative health effects of air pollution, while being documented on all ages and different cultural groups, are of more concern where children are involved. For many reasons, children tend to suffer the most when pollution is a factor. First and foremost, children are not born with developed lungs; their maturation continues from birth until adulthood (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2004). Also, children spend more time outside than adults, and therefore breathe in more polluted air (American Lung Association, 2012). Whereas adults usually can be counted upon to spend 85% to 95% of their time indoors, children spend less than 80% indoors, leading to situations where they are breathing greater amounts of polluted air (Kleinman, 2000). Finally, children exert themselves more when performing physical activity than adults. Children have been found to take in 20% to 50% more air than adults when exercising at physical maximums (Kleinman, 2000). This, in turn, leads to greater amounts of air pollution being consumed. All pollution in the air causes concern as to the effects it has on the health of the general population, but of particular concern is that of particulate matter. Known scientifically as PM2.5 and PM10, it generally refers to particulate matter with a median aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm or 10 µm (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2004). Research has come to show that the national standards for what is being termed “fine particle pollution”, a situation which refers to the common name of “soot” for PM2.5, are simply too lax to allow for healthy living (American Lung Association, Clean Air Task Force, & Earthjustice, 2011). Made up of both liquid droplets and fine particles, PM2.5 lodges deeply within the lungs of those that breathe it, and is not expelled over time, leading to long-term damage (American Lung Association, Clean Air Task Force, & Earthjustice, 2011). Unlike other substances found in air pollution, it is not able to be removed from the body by a single sneeze or cough, or even repeated sneezing or coughing (American Lung Association, Clean Air Task Force, & Earthjustice, 2011). It can only be imagined what can happen to the changing body of a child if PM2.5 is ingested over years, and the effects that they could endure as an adult. When research studies first began analyzing the effects of air pollution on children, they were simply treated as smaller versions of adults. Over time, however, researchers and medical professionals began to realize that there were many differences between the way the body of a child reacted to air pollution and the way a body of an adult would react (Kleinman, 2000). Separate studies have since been conducted at length. In 2004, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a study noting that not only were children and infants more susceptible to lower levels of pollution, levels that were once thought safe, they were also the likeliest to develop detrimental health issues due to air pollution. From issues such as low full-term birth weight and preterm births, to effects on the lungs and heart that become apparent in early childhood, all the way to adulthood when diabetes and obesity may result, the fight against air pollution can be a lifelong, uphill battle in dealing with health issues as a result of having to breathe dirty, tainted air. Doomed from the Start? New research suggests that the impact of air pollution on children can begin as soon as a woman becomes pregnant. Studies conducted around the world on various types of pollutants, including criteria air pollutants such as nitrogen oxide (NO2) and others such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) have shown negative effects on such factors as fetal growth and birth weight (Choi, Jedrykowski, Spengler, Camann, Whyatt, Rauh, Perera, & Tsai, 2006). It was found that even low exposure to PAH in the atmosphere had negative effects on neonatal development, including fetal growth and brain development (Choi et al., 2006). Though studies have not been done to observe long-term effects on neonatal development to track for later in life health developments, it is well documented that low birth weight and diminished fetal growth can lead to a host of other issues in childhood. Therefore, pregnant women should be careful to avoid as much exposure to air pollution as possible, for the sake of their newborn infant and their own health. More studies have tracked ambient air pollution effects where pregnant women are concerned. As early as the year 2000, prenatal effects of carbon monoxide were studied (Kleinman, 2000). It was found that pregnant women who were exposed to levels of carbon monoxide carried an increased risk of having babies with low birth weight (Kleinman, 2000). This was further confirmed in a study of 70,249 single births during the years of 1999 to 2002 in Vancouver, British Columbia, when it was found that exposure to traffic pollution results in babies being born smaller than normal for gestational age (Brauer, Lencar, Tamburic, Koehoorn, Demers & Karr, 2008). Relationships were also seen between lower than average full-term birth weight and preterm births (Brauer et al., 2008). It was found that residents living within fifty meters of a highway experienced a 26% increase in smaller than average gestational age babies, as well as an 11% increase in low birth weight (Brauer et al, 2008). Though the numbers may seem small, Moshammer et al. (2006) argues that it is important to remember that even a slight reduction in birth weight can cause conditions later in life such as higher rates of heart disease and hypertension, to say nothing of the developmental delays that could be experienced. Where preterm births were concerned, particle matter was seen as a substantial factor; exposure to PM2.5 was seen as a valid risk for pregnant women to enter preterm labor and deliver at less than 37 weeks (Brauer et al., 2008). The study concluded that an association had most assuredly been established; exposure to several traffic-related air pollutants, namely particle matter (PM2.5), carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxide (NO2) carried the increased risk of small birth weight and preterm births (Brauer et al., 2008). Again, air pollution had nothing positive to bring to the lives of those that were pregnant or expecting, and while air pollution cannot be avoided altogether, enough evidence has formed to lead to the conclusion that expecting mothers should try their best to limit their exposure to it. Lung Development and Resulting Health Issues Children, without fail, are more susceptible to lung damage due to air pollution than adults. Eighty percent of alveoli in the lungs of children are formed after birth (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2004). These alveoli, vital in their functions of transferring oxygen into the blood, must continue to grow and develop while breathing in polluted air (American Lung Association, 2012). In addition, changes in the lung continue through adolescence (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2004). The lung is also not fully mature until adulthood (American Lung Association, 2012). Therefore, children are emerging into a world already polluted and must continue their maturation while breathing polluted air. They must face breathing in noxious gases as their lungs develop and change. While this would not be as much of a factor if lung maturation was completed in a shorter time frame, such as a year, the prospect of a child continuing to breathe polluted air while going through a sometimes twelve to thirteen year maturation of the lungs is not only disturbing but heart-wrenching. What can result from breathing in polluted air, either in the short term or long term, is just as heart-wrenching. Children are likely to develop asthma from breathing in heavy traffic pollution (American Lung Association, 2012). Exposure to widespread ozone pollution, which has become rather hard to avoid in recent years, also can lead to the development of asthma in children (American Lung Association, 2012). Children also have decreased lung function and increased respiratory tract symptoms on days where ozone levels are higher (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2004). When they are exposed to long-term particle pollution, slowed lung function and significant damage to the airways of the lungs has been a noted factor (American Lung Association, 2012). In a groundbreaking study done in Southern California in 2009, it was found that 1,759 children who were tracked between the ages of 10 and 18 for lung development and exposure to air pollution established a direct relationship with lung development and air pollution; the greater the air pollution, the greater the risk for underdeveloped lungs, and therefore greatly decreased lung function (American Lung Association, 2012). Overall, the study noted a 20% drop in lung function, and lamented that lungs damaged by air pollution in growing children may never recover to full capacity (American Lung Association, 2012). Though there is a chance of recovery, as again the lungs are continuing to develop and change until maturation, the drop in function caused by nothing more than the natural act of breathing can be heartbreaking to adults, especially parents who only wish the best for their children. Air Pollution Effects on Children with Asthma and Allergies For children that are already suffering from asthma and allergies, the prognosis only becomes worse when air pollution becomes a factor. In Atlanta, Georgia, emergency room visits for children with asthma increased 37% after six consecutive days of high ozone levels (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2004). In Southern California, despite only a 0.02% increase in the ozone levels, the school absentee rate jumped 63% due to respiratory tract illnesses and complaints (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2004). Even an increase of 10 µg/m3 in particle matter (PM10) or nitrogen dioxide (NO2) leads to a 10% increase in asthma attacks and nighttime coughing or other respiratory complaints in children (Moshammer et al., 2006). Despite the multitude of research and studies that have been conducted on these issues, it should not take a doctor or team of medical professionals to see the equation that children, when asthma is added and air pollution is mixed in, are not having fun even attempting to breathe. It is not surprising that where a child lives can have a distinct effect on how much pollution is in the air. Inner-city children can, without a doubt, experience more pollution from traffic exhaust and manufacturing byproducts than children living in a suburban or rural environment. When this environment is mixed with children that already suffer from asthma, a double whammy presents itself. To underscore this relationship, 861 children that lived in seven inner-city communities throughout the United States were tracked for two years (O'Connor, Neas, Vaughn, Kattan & Mitchell, 2008). Every six months, for a two-week period, the children were asked to perform pulmonary exercise twice a day (O’Connor et al., 2008). In addition, data on their asthma symptoms was collected every two months (O’Connor et al., 2008). It is also important to note that, during the study, all air pollution that had been measured were below the standards listed in the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (O’Connor et al., 2008). The results showed that even short-term increases in the concentration of air pollution was enough to cause aggravation of asthma symptoms, as well as days of school that were missed due to asthma related symptoms (O’Connor et al., 2008). There can be no doubt that for children suffering from asthma, as well as living in an urban environment, even minute changes can make the difference between a good day and a bad day. The situation is somewhat the same for those children that already suffer from allergies. Research has shown the allergies are not developed from exposure to air pollution, as asthma can be, but allergy symptoms can be exacerbated easily in those already suffering from them (Parker, Akinbami & Woodruff, 2009). In a nationwide study of 70,000 children conducted from 1995 to 2005, associations were established between particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), as well as sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and summer exposure to ozone (O3) (Parker, Akinbami & Woodruff, 2009). It was found that, during the summer when ozone levels were higher, increased allergy and hay fever was the most common result (Parker, Akinbami & Woodruff, 2009). Increased respiratory allergies and hay fever reports were also reported to coincide with increased exposure to particulate matter, no matter what the season was (Parker, Akinbami & Woodruff, 2009). The results are conclusive; children with allergies have a hard time with increased exposure to air pollution, just as those with the preexisting condition of asthma do. Cardiovascular Disease Along with increased risk of damage to lungs and breathing problems from air pollution, cardiovascular concerns are a factor as well. One criteria air pollutant, carbon monoxide (CO), was shown to have permanent, damaging effects on heart tissue in infants (Kleinman, 2000). Studies conducted using newborn rats showed alarming changes to the heart muscle tissue when exposed to carbon monoxide (Kleinman, 2000). Other studies conducted showed that long-term exposure to carbon monoxide created a host of detrimental problems, among the ventricular hypertrophy, or weakening of the cells in the ventricle chambers of the heart (Kleinman, 2000). The studies done with laboratory rats only underscore what can happen to human hearts, especially those of children, from the very beginning. In a study conducted in Southern California, mothers found to be exposed to high levels of carbon monoxide during pregnancy had a greater risk of delivering a child with congenital heart defects (Ritz & Wilhelm, 2008). Specifically, exposure to pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (O3) in the second month of pregnancy were shown to also increase the risk of congenital heart defects in infants (Ritz & Wilhelm, 2008). Given that the second month of pregnancy is also the well known to be the most important time for fetal heart development, this is hardly surprising (Ritz & Wilhelm, 2008). Cardiovascular disease is not an element that, considering the health of children, is often linked to air pollution, but it is quickly becoming worth a second look. Heart problems, while possibly not as apparent or overt as respiratory symptoms resulting from air pollution nevertheless can occur (Kelishadi & Poursafa, 2010). Whether they are a direct result of exposure to pollutions such as particulate matter, or developing as a byproduct of long-term exposure, is not yet known (Kelishadi & Poursafa, 2010). It is certain, however, that more attention should be paid to the health of the hearts of children, alongside the health of their lungs. Effects from Air Pollution Not Seen Immediately Though most research studies have concentrated on the respiratory effects that air pollution can have on the developing body of a child, new studies have come out to suggest that the worry should not end there. Just because a child does not show overt symptoms of disease or dysfunction early in life due to exposure from air pollution, other effects may one day emerge (Kelishadi & Poursafa, 2010). Cancers and other “non-communicable diseases” may in fact be on the rise due to early life exposure to air pollution (Kelishadi & Poursafa, 2010). In addition, it has been found that, particularly upon long-term exposure to fine particulate matter such as PM2.5, rates of obesity and type II diabetes have been climbing (Westervelt, 2011). The theory itself was not expected to withstand scrutiny, and was therefore originally dismissed; however, when researchers at Harvard delved further into the correlating data, it was found that exposure to fine particulate matter quite assuredly had an effect on both humans and animals (Westervelt, 2011). Though researchers are quick to state that no one is suggesting that diet and exercise do play a part, they are just as quick to state that, given the rising costs of treatment for both conditions, obesity and type II diabetes, given the new relationship that involves air pollution, a new reason for pushing stricter standards with the Environmental Protection Agency may just have found new footing (Westervelt, 2011). Regardless, given the new data that has been published, it is likely that parents will have found new reason to worry about the health of their children. Conclusion In the story of The Lorax, when the pollution became too extreme, all life left the area, never to return. While in the pages of a storybook this is able to happen with ease, the harsh reality of life is often different altogether. A page cannot be turned to find a simple solution, nor are things wrapped up neatly in a given number of pages. Some children have no choice but to stay where there are high levels of air pollution, because there is no hope of their families gaining employment or livelihood elsewhere. Others must stay to be close to family members, or to fulfill other obligations. Children and families often have no choice but to remain where they are regardless of air pollution and quality, and cannot, as Dr. Seuss chose to have those in The Lorax do, leave where they are to begin life anew. The impact of air pollution on the health of children is sobering at best and despairing at worst. From low birth weight to developmental retardation, from asthma aggravation to cardiovascular disease and possibly even obesity and type II diabetes, the research on the harm that air pollution does to those who are most susceptible to it, including children, is well documented and published. The health effects from such air pollution that some children must breathe on a daily basis not only shorten their lives, but deny them the basic freedoms of childhood such as playtime and fun. Between particulate matter and other criteria pollutants, it is lucky that any child is actually able to survive, given what they must inhale on a daily basis and in far greater capacity than adults. If one thing is certain, it is that air pollution brings absolutely nothing positive to the overall health picture of the United States or any other country in the world, particularly in regards to the health of children. The solution, should it be asked for, is simple. The air must be cleaner. Standards must be tightened, and those that are processing harmful substances into the air must be held accountable. Children do not always have the privilege or even the choice of moving to clean air, and therefore it must be clean enough for them to live wherever they are. References American Academy of Pediatrics. (2004). Ambient air pollution: Health hazards to children. Pediatrics, 114, 1699-1707. doi: 10.1542/peds.2004-2166 American Lung Association. (2012). State of the air report - 2012. Retrieved from http://www.stateoftheair.org/2012/assets/state-of-the-air2012.pdf American Lung Association, Clean Air Task Force, & Earthjustice (2011). 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(2000). The health effects of air pollution on children. Manuscript submitted for publication, Department of Community and Environmental Medicine, University of California - Irvine, Irvine, CA. Retrieved from http://www.aqmd.gov/forstudents/health_effects_on_children.pdf Moshammer, H., Bartonova, A., Hanke, W., Van Den Hazel, P., Koppe, J. G., Kramer, U…Zurrbier, M. (2006). Air pollution: A threat to the health of our children. Alta Poediatrica, 95(453), 93-105. Retrieved from: http://www.biologicalhealthservices.com.au/PDF/22483181.pdf O'Connor, G. T., Neas, L., Vaughn, B., Kattan, M., & Mitchell, H. Environmental Protection Agency Papers (2008). Acute respiratory health effects of air pollution on children with asthma in U.S. cities. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/usepapapers/12 Parker, J. D., Akinbami, L. J., & Woodruff, T. J. (2009). Air pollution and childhood respiratory allergies in the United States. Environmental Health Perspectives, 117(1), 140-147. doi:10.1289/ehp.11497 Pope, A. M., Snyder, M. A., & Mood, L. H. (1995). Nursing, health, and the environment. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Ritz, B., & Wilhelm, M. (2008). Air pollution impacts on children and infants. Manuscript submitted for publication, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, UCLA, Los Angeles, California. Retrieved from http://www.environment.ucla.edu/reportcard/article.asp?parentid=1700 Westervelt, A. (2011, October 10). Two new reasons to worry about air pollution: Obesity and diabetes. Forbes. Retrieved from http://news.yahoo.com/two-reasons-worry-air-pollution-obesity-diabetes-160324015.html Read More