Buying an air purifier for newborns

Babies and children, along with the elderly and pregnant women, are one of the most at-risk groups when it comes to the negative health effects of air pollution. Ambient and household air pollution are responsible for 6.7 million premature deaths per year on a global scale, 237,000 of which are children under 5 years of age¹. What makes newborns, specifically, so vulnerable? Can investing in an air purifier for newborns help protect them from the dangers of air pollution? Read on to learn more.

How does polluted air affect newborn health?

Why are newborns more affected by air pollution?

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a shocking statistic: more than 90% of the world’s children breathe air that exceeds its recommendations for air pollutants. The air pollutants that of the most concern for neonates include:

• Particulate matter (PM)
• Ozone (O3)
• Nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
• Carbon monoxide (CO)
• Sulphur dioxide (SO2)²

Multiple studies have focused their efforts on understanding why children are more at risk of developing air pollution-related diseases than other population groups. A summary of the results are as follows^3,4,5:

• Children breathe more quickly, inhaling more air per kilogram than adults (exposing them to a greater amount of polluted air)
• Children are more active than adults and breathe in more air as a result
• Children live closer to the ground (since they are smaller) where air pollutants are at the highest concentrations as many pollutants stay at ground level
• Children’s lungs are still in development, making them more vulnerable to biological disruption (organ damage and inflammation) caused by air pollutants
• Children have underdeveloped immune systems so it is more difficult for them to fight off air pollution-caused diseases
• Children are more susceptible to the dangers of second-hand smoke: when a pregnant woman smokes during pregnancy or experiences significant second-hand smoke exposure, it may lead to adverse birth outcomes (this includes vaping and e-cigarettes)

Whilst all of the above is still applicable to newborns, they are even at more risk due to their high metabolic rate and undeveloped respiratory systems². This ultimately leads to a higher risk of the child contracting or aggravating physical and/or mental health conditions.

Where are newborn children exposed to polluted air?

The most common place where newborn children are exposed to polluted air is inside their homes. Fuels and technologies used in cooking, heating, and powering homes (especially wood and natural gas) all lead to significant exposure to air pollutant particles like particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Negative effects of polluted air on newborn health

A 2023 study out of Switzerland found that exposure to polluted air whilst a baby is still in the womb leads to negative health effects, particularly adverse cell processes. This ultimately triggers inflammation and reduces physiological stress resistance, affecting lung and immune system function for newborns and impacting children’s health. Exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and PM10, two air pollutants most associated with vehicle emissions and smoke, whilst a baby is in the womb seem to have the greatest impact on newborn health⁶.

An additional study noted that long-term prenatal exposure to PM leads to adverse birth outcomes like abnormal birth weight, preterm birth, birth defects (neuro, cognitive, and motor development), and even stillbirth⁷. Air pollution heavily impacts the lungs and may lead to lower respiratory tract infections in newborns and is to blame for one-fifth of newborn health disorders⁸.

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Benefits of air purifiers for newborns and babies

Investing in an air purifier serves a multitude of purposes for children and adults alike. Specifically, for newborns, it helps to:

Tackle unpleasant odours

Newborn babies may bring unpleasant smells and odours to the home. Dirty diapers and bodily fluids may make an environment unpleasant for parents. A high-quality air purifier absorbs these unwanted odours, deodorising your space and improving quality of life.

Improve lung health

Providing a newborn with fresh air helps encourage developing lungs. Breathing clean, pollutant-free air in the home also helps ward off any potential respiratory diseases that polluted air may cause.

Improve sleep quality for children

Multiple studies have analysed an air purifier’s ability to improve sleep quality in children as well as adults. By breathing fresh air that is free of air pollutants (allergens like dust particles and pet hair, for example), your baby will sleep more soundly throughout the night and have clearer breathing whilst sleeping.

Strengthen their immune system

Air pollutants like pollen, pet hair and dander, dust, dust mites, mould and spores, smoke (second-hand cigarette and e-cigarette smoke or wildfire smoke), germs (viruses and bacteria), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are all sources of air pollutant particles that trigger a child’s immune system. These particles may cause seasonal allergies, asthma, and may even spread airborne diseases like airborne bacteria or viruses like COVID-19 and the influenza virus. An air purifier removes these airborne dangers, protecting children by providing them with clean air to breathe at home.

Improve their mood

Polluted air irritates a baby’s upper respiratory system. Installing an air purifier in a newborn’s room helps to boost their mood and calm anxieties, especially if the newborn is experiencing separation or social anxiety caused by changes in the household.

Prevent asthma and respiratory diseases

Studies have proven that the use of an air purifier helps to reduce the incidence of asthma cases in children. When inhaled, polluted air puts children at risk of respiratory diseases and other diseases caused by bacteria and viruses (including influenza and COVID-19).

Factors to consider when choosing an air purifier for babies

Newborns are sensitive. This is why it is so important to purchase the right device that provides thorough air filtration to keep your baby safe and that will not disturb your baby whilst he or she sleeps. Consider the factors below.

Choose the right filters: HEPA and activated carbon filters

The best way to choose an air purifier for newborns and to ensure that your baby is protected from dangerous airborne pollutants is to purchase a device with the right filtration technologies. Fine particle pollution (particulate matter) found in the air – whether caused by tobacco smoke, combustion (wood stoves and gas appliances), pet dander, dust mites, pollen, or mould spores – are only removed by filters of a certain grade. High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA)-certified filters are third-party tested and guaranteed to remove air pollutants down to a size of 0.3 microns. The reality is that these filters are capable of removing pollutants down to 0.01 microns: read more about the 0.3 micron barrier here.

Gaseous pollutants and toxins, however, cannot be removed with a HEPA filter. Purchasing a device with multiple filtration technologies is the best way to ensure that you are removing all three types of air pollutants: fine particle pollution (PM), chemical pollution (volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, like formaldehyde), and biological pollution (allergens, germs, etc.). Activated carbon filters are highly efficient at filtering VOCs and unpleasant odours like those found in a baby’s room, for example.

Eoleaf devices come equipped with 8 different filtration technologies, more than any other device on the market. Our superior filtration technologies put you at ease knowing that you are breathing the purest indoor air available. They are also able to remove germs (bacteria and viruses) due to HEPA filtration and UVC sterilisation.

Noise level

In addition to providing clean air, air purifiers also serve as white noise machines, but if placed in a baby’s room, it is important to keep your device running on one if its lowest fan speeds. Newborn ears are highly sensitive to loud noises due to auditory development, and investing in a quiet air purifier is the best way to keep both your child’s hearing and lungs safe. When white noise machines are used at a low volume, they help babies sleep more soundly.

Room size and device power

Before purchasing an air purifier, ensure that it is properly sized. Air purifiers are built to efficiently filter the air of rooms of a maximum size, so consider the square footage of the room in which you plan to install your device before making your purchase. This is crucial for your device to effectively clean the air in your space!
You should also consider both CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rates) and ACH (Air Changes per Hour). These two metrics are used to calculate the volume of filtered air in your space and how many times the air is replaced in the room in one hour, respectively. For completely filtered air in your space, it is recommended to seek out a device with the highest CADR possible (the higher the CADR, the more efficient the device is) and with an ACH of 4 or 5.
Eoleaf devices are sized as follows:

• AEROPRO 40: 0 to 40 m2 – CADR of 420 m3/h on speed 4 (maximum speed)
• AEROPRO 100: 0 to 80 m2 – CADR of 570 m3/h on speed 5 (maximum speed)
• AEROPRO 150: 0 to 120 m2 – CADR of 670 m3/h on speed 5 (maximum speed)