NEW DELHI: Delhi’s toxic winter air is leaving an increasingly visible imprint on children’s health, with a sharp rise in respiratory illnesses and a surge in demand for nebulisers, inhalers and asthma medicines during peak pollution months, a new citywide survey found.A survey conducted among chemists across Delhi by clean-air advocacy group Warrior Moms showed that sales of respiratory aids for children spiked between November and January, when air quality routinely slipped into the “very poor” and “severe” categories. Chemists reported that 1 in every 3 nebuliser purchases during winter was for a child, highlighting the growing strain on young, developing lungs.
Doctors said the trend reflected what they saw daily in clinics and emergency rooms.
Paediatrician Dr Sumit Chakravarty, Associate Director, Paediatrics and Neonatology, Asian Hospital, said winter pollution was driving a sharp rise in cough, wheezing and breathlessness among children. “Children’s lungs are still developing, they spend more time outdoors, and masks often fail to block fine pollutants,” he said.Toxic air, he warned, was triggering asthma attacks and chest infections at younger ages, leading to a worrying dependence on nebulisers and inhalers. “Many children now need stronger treatments, including steroids, because routine medicines are no longer enough. This raises serious concerns about long-term lung damage,” he said, adding that repeated illness was also fuelling anxiety among families.The survey found that demand for nebulisers and asthma medicines nearly doubled during high-smog periods, with some neighbourhoods reporting a 40–60% rise in sales.
Commonly dispensed drugs included Asthalin and Levolin inhalers, Budecort Respules, Duolin inhalation solutions and long-term control inhalers such as Seroflo. Parents frequently reported symptoms worsening in early mornings and late evenings, when pollution levels peaked.Zone-wise data showed that north and east Delhi were the worst affected, with chemists in north Delhi reporting an average of 17 nebuliser purchases for children per day, compared with around 9–10 in south and central Delhi.
Children with asthma and allergic bronchitis were particularly vulnerable, pharmacists said.Pulmonologist Dr Animesh Arya said Delhi’s winter pollution reached levels that repeatedly inflamed children’s lungs during their most critical years of growth. “The surge in nebuliser and inhaler use is not just about asthma flare-ups. It shows reduced lung resilience caused by sustained exposure to very severe air pollution,” he said.Because children breathe faster and inhale more air relative to their body weight, they absorb higher concentrations of fine particulate matter, increasing the risk of chronic cough, wheezing, frequent infections and, in susceptible children, long-term lung function impairment. Calling it an ongoing public health emergency rather than a seasonal problem, he stressed the need for urgent policy action to improve air quality.The spike in demand also strained supply chains. Pharmacies reported frequent shortages of high-demand medicines during December and January, forcing chemists to scramble for stocks and raising concerns about access to essential respiratory care during pollution peaks.The report urged authorities to anticipate winter surges by ensuring adequate medicine supplies, issuing timely advisories for parents and schools, and strengthening preventive measures. As doctors warned, medicines can only manage symptoms — without urgent action to curb pollution, Delhi risks raising a generation with permanently weakened lungs.
