Study finds link between air pollution and mental disorders in children

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air pollution by children
Sasi Ponchaisang / EyeEm / Getty

Peaks in air pollution have an immediate impact on children's mental health, including anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts

Air pollution has been associated with various health complications, such as decreased lung function, asthma and even lung disease. As children's lungs are formed, it is not surprising that they are the most affected by harmful particles. However, new research shows that air pollution does not only compromise the physical health of our children, but also their mental health. According to a new study published Wednesday in the newspaper Environmental Health Outlook newspaper, short-term exposure to strong air pollution is responsible for an increase in mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression.

Previous evidence has linked harmful particles to an increase in psychiatric disorders in adults. The researchers wanted to know if they had the same impact on children. They reviewed psychiatric patient visits to the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center over a five-year period. They chose to focus on PM2.5 fine particles, which can lodge in the lungs and then in other organs and in the bloodstream. When a patient has presented to the hospital, he has attempted to go back to the residential area of ​​his home. What they discovered was that when there is an increase in PM2.5, the number of psychiatric visits would increase over the next few days.

Even more scary? Air pollution had an immediate effect on children. On the first day of pollution, the hospital recorded an influx of visits related to schizophrenia. A few days later, the number of patients with suicidal ideation and an adjustment disorder increased sharply.

"Together, these studies contribute to the proliferation of evidence that exposure to air pollution in early childhood and childhood can contribute to depression, depression, and low blood pressure. Anxiety and other mental health problems in adolescence, "said Patrick Ryan, lead author, in a press release. .

Unfortunately, socio-economics was also considered a factor. Children who lived in deprived areas and who were not privileged were much worse off from the psychiatric effects of pollution.

"The fact that children living in the poorest neighborhoods experience greater effects of air pollution on health could mean that pollutants and neighborhood stressors can have synergistic effects on the severity and frequency of symptoms. psychiatric patients, "said Cole Brokamp, ​​co-author of the study.

While so many people (including the President of the United States) like to make fun of Greta Thunberg for her passionate campaign against climate change inaction, this study is further proof of the need for her efforts. Earlier this week, the activist and 15 other people sued five countries for climate violations, claiming that they violated their rights when they were children.

"People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing, "said Thunberg in his speech. "We are at the beginning of a massive extinction. And all you can talk about is money and fairy tales about eternal economic growth. How dare you!"

Whether you are a parent or not, we hope that the results of this latest study will make you mouth-watering. Although we are seriously failing our children and future generations in so many ways, the least we can do is give them clean air to breathe.

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