Less memory, less attention: Consequences of pollution on children

Human beings live in constant contact with pollutants transmitted through water, air, diet, and soil from birth. Childhood is a crucial period for brain maturation and mental development.

The long-term effects of air pollution on neurological development have already been analyzed in various studies.

Children are more vulnerable to the environment than adults because their neurological, immune, digestive, and other systems are still developing. Additionally, simple actions like crawling or putting things in their mouths can lead to greater exposure to certain pollutants.

How does pollution affect child development?

According to a study conducted by Brain Air School Investigation, the so-called Project Breathe, pollution decreases children's short-term attention and concentration abilities. Scientists found that air pollution has a neurotoxic effect on children. In addition to damaging their cognitive capacity, pollutants also reduce their attention span.

The analysis of the results shows that increases in environmental levels of traffic-related pollutants are associated with a decrease in all attention processes within classrooms. The study reveals that students in schools with higher pollution levels in their classrooms and playgrounds show slower memory development than those studying in schools away from traffic with cleaner air. This scientific research, carried out by a group of researchers from CREAL and involving 2,618 8-year-old children from 39 schools in Barcelona, has determined that traffic is the only source of fine particles associated with a reduction in cognitive development.

This highlights the relationship between exposure to high levels of pollution or micro-particles from traffic in schools and reduced cognitive development with an impact on academic performance: working memory decreases by 30%, while attention deficiency by 22%.

What can parents do?

• Recycle at home.
• Reduce energy consumption.
• Reuse items.
• Conserve water and electricity.
• Plant trees and plants in the garden or balcony.
• Use biodegradable products.
• Use the car as little as possible, opt for alternatives like biking, public transportation, or walking.