We all want our children to be healthy, and that should start at home. Your children will spend a lot of time at home, from pregnancy through college, and it’s important that the environment is safe and nurturing. Sick homes can create sick kids, and indoor air pollution is a major source of health issues. Learn more about what causes it and how you can improve your indoor air quality for children’s health.
Indoor Air Pollution and Children’s Health
First, it’s important to note that indoor air pollution affects us all. But for children, especially the very young, these effects can be significant and cause lifelong issues. The American Academy of Pediatrics cites indoor air quality as a major part of healthy environments for children, as they will spend 80 to 90% of their time indoors. Respiratory problems, conditions, and illnesses can all be related to indoor air pollution.
Air Quality and Childhood Development
More and more studies are also showing that poor air quality and air pollution can have negative effects on children’s developmental health, especially before birth and in early childhood. Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child released a 2025 study, Air Quality Affects Early Childhood Development and Health, which found that air pollutants affect body and brain development, including increased risk of asthma, hormone regulation, and fetal brain development. The study cites the need for indoor air quality testing and increased ventilation.
Common Causes of Poor Indoor Air Quality
Below are some of the most common household air pollutants cited by children’s health organizations and studies as major health and developmental issues:
- Indoor smoking, including vaping.
- Improperly sealed and vented woodsmoke and gas stoves and furnaces.
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from household products and construction materials.
- Mold and mildew spores from mold growth.
- Dust and pet dander.
- Gases produced from intense heat, such as ozone.
- Outside pollutants not being properly filtered, such as wildfire smoke.
- Airborne viruses and pathogens.
The Solution is Better Home Ventilation
The organizations and studies we cite above all have one thing in common: it’s never too late to start with better indoor quality to improve your children’s health, and one of the biggest changes you can make is to have your home’s air quality tested and make home performance improvements—especially ventilation. Better filtration, improved ventilation to remove stale air, and humidity control to prevent conditions for mold growth are all solutions to consider. Read more in the following articles:
- What is the Whole Home Approach to House Health & Comfort?
- Temperature & Moisture: The Conditions for Mold in Homes
- Dealing with a Stinky House – Odor and Air Quality Issues
Your St. Louis Air Quality and Home Ventilation Specialists
These children’s health organizations and studies have another thing in common: they all say it’s never too late to improve your home’s air quality. If you’re in the St. Louis area, contact us at Greenmark Home Performance today. We will come out to your home for a full home evaluation, including air quality testing, and build a plan with you to tackle any and all ventilation and other home performance issues. Schedule an appointment online or call us at 314-845-9144 to get started.
