Delhi’s toxic air crisis leaves children gasping for breath

Delhi's toxic air crisis leaves children gasping for breath

Delhi's worsening air pollution is taking a severe toll on its youngest residents, with pediatric clinics overflowing as hazardous smog blankets the capital. Parents report a surge in respiratory illnesses among children since October, when air quality plummeted to levels more than 20 times above World Health Organization (WHO) safety thresholds.

Clinics overwhelmed as pollution spikes

A recent visit to a Noida clinic near Delhi revealed long queues of anxious parents with children suffering from persistent coughs, breathing difficulties, and pneumonia-like symptoms. Dr. Shishir Bhatnagar, a pediatrician at the facility, noted a tenfold increase in such cases during the pollution season. "Normally, 20-30% of my patients have respiratory complaints. Now, it's 50-70%," he said.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which penetrates deep into the lungs, poses the greatest risk. "These particles disrupt a child's developing immune system, with long-term consequences," Dr. Bhatnagar warned.

Parents recount harrowing ordeals

Khushboo Bharti, 31, described the terror of rushing her one-year-old daughter, Samaira, to the emergency room on 13 November after violent coughing fits led to vomiting. "She was unresponsive-no reaction, no movement. It was the worst night of my life," Bharti said. Samaira required oxygen support and steroid treatment for pneumonia.

Gopal*, another parent, recounted taking his two-year-old daughter to a government hospital for chest congestion. Doctors warned of potential long-term inhaler use. "What future do our children have in a city where the air itself is poison?" he asked.

Desperate measures, limited options

Many families, like Bharti's, now consider leaving Delhi despite financial constraints. "We'll move the moment we can," she said. Meanwhile, schools have suspended outdoor activities and shifted younger classes online-a privilege unavailable to thousands of underprivileged children exposed to relentless pollution.

Experts warn of lifelong damage

Dr. A. Fathahudeen, a pulmonologist, emphasized that children in slums face compounded risks from indoor pollution (cooking fuels, traffic) and outdoor toxins. "Chronic exposure weakens lung defenses, risking permanent damage-even chronic obstructive airway disease in adulthood," he said.

Studies, including a recent University of Cambridge analysis of 30 million people, link air pollution to stunted development, cognitive decline, and higher dementia risks. "These children's lungs are under siege," Dr. Fathahudeen added.

Government efforts fall short

Annual emergency measures-construction bans, vehicle restrictions, and even failed cloud-seeding attempts-have done little to alleviate the crisis. Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) has lingered between 300-400 ("hazardous") for weeks, with PM2.5 levels far exceeding WHO limits.

Parents like Seema*, who restricts her children's outdoor play, question the sustainability of such precautions. "They need to grow, to run-but not at the cost of their lungs," she said.

"The onslaught on their lungs is enormous. If untreated, childhood infections from pollution can cause lifelong damage."

Dr. A. Fathahudeen, pulmonologist