Dirty air linked to hospital kid cases

Child admissions soar during high pollution

- DAN VEVERS

CHILD hospital admissions for lung problems spike during periods of high air pollution, a massive university study has found.

Research by Dundee Uni found youngsters are affected by dirty air at levels not seen among adults.

It comes amid growing calls to get the most polluting cars off city centre streets with Low Emission Zones (LEZs) as seen in Glasgow.

Professor Jill Belch, from Dundee University's School of Medicine, warned youngsters are sustaining irreparable damage to their lungs due to the inhalation of harmful particulates emitted by vehicles.

The findings, published in the journal Aerosol and Air Quality Research, found hospital admissions for under-16s with respiratory problems increased when pollution levels were higher.