A Guide to Air Quality and Early Childhood Development
Developmental Environments
Brain Architecture
Children’s health and development are powerfully affected by influences from their developmental environment—the full range of experiences and exposures they have in the places they live, learn, play, and grow. Ensuring that children and their caregivers have clean air to breathe in all the spaces where they spend time—both indoors and out—offers a vital opportunity to support healthy development.
Current research offers important findings on the many ways air quality impacts the health and well-being of young children, including its influence on brain development, immune responses, gene expression, lung function, and more. These effects disproportionately impact families with fewer resources and families of color due to discriminatory housing and zoning practices and other barriers to accessing affordable, healthy housing. Fortunately, a wide range of strategies and solutions are available to protect children from air pollutants. Explore the resources in this guide to learn more about how we can improve air quality during pregnancy and early childhood to help create developmental environments where our children can thrive.
