Catherine Karr, M.D. PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington and the study's lead author, points out, ‘There has been very little study of the consequences of early life exposure to air pollution.’ She goes on to explain, ‘This study is unique in that we were able to look at multiple sources including wood smoke in a region with relatively low concentrations of ambient air pollution overall.’
Over 12,000 diagnoses of infant bronchiolitis were analyzed with respect to the subject's ambient pollution exposure. Levels of nitric oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide were monitored, as well as particulate matter from monitoring stations within 10 km of the infants' homes. Land-regression maps were also used to ascertain concentrations of ambient pollution in relation to traffic and wood smoke.
The researchers accounted for variables such as sex, gestational age, maternal smoking habits, and breastfeeding, and found that bronchiolitis was indeed significantly linked to increased lifetime exposure to particular pollutants. For instance, infants living within 50 meters of a highway had an increased risk of six percent and those who experienced greater exposure to wood smoke had an eight percent higher risk of developing bronchiolitis.
Dr. Karr summarizes, ‘In general, we found that traffic-derived air pollutants were associated with infant bronchiolitis as well as wood smoke and industrial emissions.’
Michael Brauer, professor at the School of Environmental Health at the University of British Colombia and another lead investigator in the study, adds, ‘This study adds to a growing body of research showing a link between neighborhood air pollution hotspots and pediatric respiratory disease. We were specifically interested in bronchiolitis, the main reason for children to be hospitalized in their first year, as it is an important and costly childhood illness.’ He concludes, ‘Reducing exposure to air pollution may be one approach to decrease bronchiolitis occurrence.’
Parents should avoid the use of wood burning appliances and, if possible, live as far away from highways as possible. Care should also be taken that places where children spend a lot of time, such as daycares or schools, be a good distance from major highways.
In addition to steering clear of pollutants as much as possible, parents should take precaution against the pollution it's impossible to avoid, particularly if there are young infants in the home. Air purifiers suitable for those with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity filter volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the air, trapping toxic gases and particles that a regular air purifier misses.