Air and children

Under milk wood

We’re in Wales, near Swansea, swapping Milkwood Road SE24 with Dylan Thomas country. It’s great to see our children out and about in the fresh air - today we did a 15 mile bike ride. So it got us thinking more about the impact of air quality on London children and what families can do if they have chosen - or need to - to base themselves there. This is what got us into the topic of air quality in the first place - working with Mums for Lungs and Lambeth Council on a school street for Jessop Primary and now installing a monitoring node at our younger daughter’s nursery at Brixton Rec.

Llygredd aer

This part of Wales has a lot going for it in terms of air quality - low traffic, and of course the rain and the wind help a bit too. It is, however, near the Port Talbot industrial works, still spewing out horrible pollution on the other side of Swansea bay. But the possibilities for healthy living seem endless, with Gower peninsula, routes up the valleys for fit ones and a good bike and walking infrastructure.

Our cycle route on Gower Peninsula, Wales

For children, growing up in a polluted area turns out to have about the same effect as a household of smokers. Even in the womb, babies’ lung development can be affected. Children are more vulnerable to air pollution than adults - they breathe faster, they tend to be more active out of doors and their height means they may be closer to car exhausts. This can lead to life-long issues such as poor lung function and higher risk of cancer and pneumonia. New research has even shown that early exposure to dirty air alters genes in a way that could lead to adult heart disease. There are also acute risks for children, as we all know with the case of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, the 9 year old south Londoner who was the first to have air pollution listed on her death certificate after an asthma attack.

Obviously not directly comparable, but a recent study has even found that squirrels live longer in leafier parts of London due to lower impact of air pollution.

Isn’t it a lost cause?

Many groups are working to improve air quality but while there are still problems, what can families do to limit exposure? Walking rather than driving is highly recommended - this might seem counter-intuitive but air pollution is estimated to be 2-4 times higher inside cars than outside. Try to plan routes to find quieter streets and, if possible, take optional walks at times of the day when pollution is lower. Even walking on the inside of the pavement, away from traffic, can help (and is probably safer). There are also lots of ways to take action and campaign for change locally - Mums for Lungs has great ideas and resources.

It can all seem scary but we don’t regret bringing up our children in London. Just a few days far from the ‘big smoke’ has reminded us how much more reliant families are on cars when away from the convenience and public transport network of a big city like London.

Want to know more? One of our Breathe London groups is putting on a seminar on 16 May with an expert on the effects of air pollution on children. Anyone can sign up.

Update on the node

Now that Brixton Rec has been handed over to Lambeth Council, we hope the node installation will follow quickly! We will keep you updated…