Parents raise awareness of air pollution impact on children's health

Nearly 5,000 children were treated for respiratory conditions at Whittington Hospital between 2015 and 2022, reports Julia Gregory, Local Democracy Reporter

Ditch Diesel campaign group Mums for Lungs, who joined forces with the Clean Cities Campaign to launch the "world’s first diesel pollution ward" — Campaign groups Mums for Lungs and Clean Cities launch “the world’s first diesel pollution ward”

Parents say a 30% increase in the number of children treated for respiratory problems treated at Whittington Hospital over the last eight years is a “reminder” of the urgency to tackle air pollution.

A mother who took her son to A&E at the Archway hospital for respiratory problems when he was just 18 months said it has taken its toll on her child’s health.

Between 2015 and 2022 medics at the Whittington treated 4,878 children suffering from respiratory conditions – with 884 cases last year alone.

The hospital serves 500,000 residents in Islington and Haringey as well as offering services to people in Barnet, Camden, Enfield and Hackney. Last year medics there treated 884 cases of under 18s with breathing problems – up from 674 in 2015.

During the pandemic the numbers dropped to 330 in 2020 and 629 in 2021. The data was obtained by Islington councillor Praful Nargund who said it painted an “alarming” picture of the risk to children’s health.

The statistics do not reveal the cause of the children’s respiratory problems but Cllr Nargund said it could have contributed to some of the cases could have been caused by air pollution.

The Labour councillor said: “There is a well-established link between the severity of air pollution and the negative impacts on children’s health.

“Children growing up in poverty are likely to be the most adversely affected, and given Islington has the second highest rate of child poverty in London, this is an even more pressing issue in our borough.”

He added: “Poor air quality both exacerbates health inequalities and puts an unbearable strain on the NHS.”

Parent Lucy Facer first took her son to Whittington Hospital for breathing problems when he was a toddler. She is one of the founders of campaign group Islington Clean Air Parents and said: “My son is one of these stats, he’s been admitted to A&E for respiratory problems several times since he was 18 months old, which started a few months after we moved to a busy road.”

Lucy said it can make it hard for her son to get a good night’s rest. “I have noticed a connection between high air pollution episodes and his asthma, it often starts with him unable to lie down or go to sleep as he can’t catch his breath.

“A night in A&E means more lost sleep and all of this impacts his ability to focus at school.”

Cllr Nargund said: “As a borough with one of the highest levels of air pollution in London, this concerning tend highlights the need to tackle the issue.”

He described it as a “21st Century crisis” and said he is concerned that air pollution is contributing to the problem.

In 2020 a coroner ruled that nine-year-old Ella Kissi Debrah from South London died from asthma contributed to by exposure to excessive air pollution.

Cllr Nargund added: “We need to move more quickly and further and it’s about protecting our young kids and our neighbours.”

It comes amid a protest in central London which saw the “first diesel pollution ward” of hospital beds as Mums for Lungs joined forces with the Clean Cities campaign to draw attention to the impact of air pollution on children’s health.

They were calling for diesel vehicles to be phased out of London by 2030. Respiratory doctor Anna Moore said: “The link between air pollution and respiratory conditions is well established, but many people don’t know that it has also been shown to affect every organ in the body. Research has connected air pollution to heart conditions, various cancers, babies’ development, dementia and even our mental health.”

Local news needs your support

We are proud that we were at the forefront of reporting on the recent local elections. We can’t do this without the support of our readers.

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.