Are children more susceptible than healthy adults to the harmful effects of air pollution?
Yes. Dust from debris, mold, and fumes from household chemicals will take a harder toll on children than adults for many reasons. First, children’s airways are smaller making it easier for air pollutants to irritate them and cause them to narrow. Second, children breathe more rapidly than adults so they inhale more pollutants per pound of body weight. And, third, children’s lungs are still growing, and repeated exposures to air pollution may limit the growth of children’s lungs and make them more vulnerable to chronic lung disease.
