Urbanization has increased the standard and quality of living and has added more comfort in our lives. Though it seems all advantageous on the outside, urbanization comes with its share of adversities, the biggest one being negative health effects. Health effects that are bad for you and worse for your child.
Children are more prone to diseases than an adult since they are still in the developmental stage and their body is not yet adept at fighting diseases like an adult. Their immunity is already lesser than adults. Add to it, health effects that impact immune system of kids further. Air pollution for kids is one such problem.
But you are gravely mistaken if you think you can protect your children from air pollution by keeping them indoors. Air pollution is not just an outdoor thing; indoor air pollution is more prevalent now than it ever was. And it can affect your child’s immunity system to a large extent.
Causes of air pollution in your home
While we think our abode is a haven for our child when it comes to keeping them safe from diseases, we fail to realize that indoor air contains pollutants that can make them very sick.
Use of kitchen stove and the gas emissions released by it blends with the air particles in your home creating indoor air pollution. Emission of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) is another major source of indoor air pollution. VOCs are found in the materials used in our buildings, flooring, composite wood products, and adhesives used in flooring. Another source of air pollution includes bioaerosols or organic vaporizers like dander from pets or pollen or dust from trees and bacteria and viruses.
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Ways to protect your kids from indoor air pollution
It is important that we keep a strict check on our home’s Indoor Air Quality Index in order to keep diseases resulting from indoor air pollution at bay. Here are some ways to take care of indoor air pollution at your home and keep your child safe from its adverse effects on the immune system, giving way to diseases.
Bring an air purifier for your kids
The best way to tackle indoor air pollution is by installing an air purifier in your home. There are different kinds of air purifiers available in the market. A HEPA air purifier removes impurities such as Particulate Matter (PM 2.5), dust, pet hair, formaldehyde, cigarette smoke, and other pollutants. An ozone air purifier kills bacteria, viruses and other harmful microorganisms present in the indoor air. Choose the one that fits your requirement the best.
Quit smoking
Instead of looking for ways to ward off cigarette smoke from your home, you must stop smoking indoors or quit smoking altogether. Smoking is not just injurious to the smoker but also causes irreversible damage to the people around, especially children.
Keep your pets clean
Bioaerosols from your pet’s body and their fur act as major sources of indoor air pollution. Thus, it is extremely vital that you keep your pets clean and hygienic in every way.
There is no better time than now to take care of this important problem that can affect your child’s immunity in a big way. Installing an air purifier in your home could be the first step towards making your home a safe place for your child to breathe in.