Study: Even Modest Wildfires Produce Significant Health Effects in Children

A new study has found that wildfire-specific PM_2.5 (airborne fine particles with a diameter of ≤2.5 μm, or micrometer) strongly impact children’s respiratory health. The study, “Fine Particles in Wildfire Smoke and Pediatric Respiratory Health in California,” which will be published in the April 2021 issue of Pediatrics (published online March 23), found that even relatively modest wildfires produced major acute health impacts, particularly for younger children, in comparison to other sources of PM_2.5. The study was conducted by looking at visits to emergency and urgent care facilities in San Diego County, California, by those age 19 years and younger with respiratory conditions, including difficulty breathing, respiratory distress, wheezing, asthma, or cough. Although PM_2.5 in some regions in the United States has decreased in recent decades due to environmental regulations, wildfire PM_2.5 and the associated health effects are projected to increase with global climate change in wildfire-prone areas, the authors note.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.