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Pediatricians warn children face risks from wildfire smoke

১৯/১০/২০২৬

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Pediatric Society (IDAI) has warned that children are more vulnerable to health problems caused by forest and land fire smoke because their respiratory and immune systems are still developing.

Dr. Fifi Sofiah, a member of IDAI's Respirology Working Group, said the smoke contains hazardous substances, including fine PM2.5 particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and reach the alveoli, or air sacs.

“Forest and land fire smoke is not just ‘ordinary smoke.’ It contains solid particles, gases, and liquid droplets produced by incomplete combustion,” Fifi said in an IDAI statement received by ANTARA on Monday.

She said PM2.5 particles measure less than 2.5 micrometers, allowing them to reach the deepest parts of the lungs and even enter the bloodstream.

Children's respiratory systems are especially vulnerable to pollutants because they are still developing. Children also have narrower airways, breathe faster, and require more air per kilogram of body weight than adults, Fifi said.

“These particles are especially dangerous for children, particularly PM2.5, which measures less than 2.5 micrometers across — far smaller than a human hair,” she said.

Children also tend to spend more time outdoors and breathe through their mouths more often, increasing their exposure to pollutants when air quality deteriorates.

Fifi said PM10 particles can irritate the upper respiratory tract, while PM2.5 can penetrate deeper into the lungs. Other compounds in smoke can also disrupt bodily functions.

“Aldehydes in smoke can paralyze cilia in the airways, while carbon monoxide interferes with hemoglobin and nitrogen oxides can irritate the respiratory tract,” she said.

She warned that prolonged exposure to smoke could cause chronic lung disease and reduce children's quality of life into adulthood.

High-risk groups include infants and toddlers, children with asthma, heart disease or chronic lung conditions, those with disabilities, and those dependent on oxygen or medical equipment.

IDAI President Piprim Basarah Yanuarso, a pediatric cardiology specialist, said protecting children from the effects of forest and land fires must be a shared responsibility of families and the government.

“Children are among the most vulnerable to smoke-haze disasters, but their voices often go unheard,” Piprim said.

He stressed that children's rights to health, protection, and development must be upheld during smoke-haze emergencies.

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