PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — More than 1 million children in Pennsylvania are breathing unhealthy air, according to this year’s annual air quality report by the American Lung Association.
The 2026 State of the Air report found the Philadelphia metro area, comprised of parts of New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, failed all three measures tracked by researchers: ozone smog, daily particle pollution and year-round particle pollution.
Philadelphia's ranking for year-round fine particle pollution jumped from the 26th worst in 2025 to the 17th worst this year.
Pediatric lung specialist Dr. Christy Sadreameli of Johns Hopkins, who works with ALA, said the health consequences of poor air quality begin before a child has even been born.
“Mothers who are pregnant, who are exposed to high levels of particular matter, their kids have a lower lung function,” she said. “Also, exposure in early childhood and in infancy to air pollution is associated with lower function in later childhood, in adolescence.”
Sadreameli added that wildfires have made the problem more visible in recent years, sending patients to her clinic, struggling to breathe.
“We had several days of very, very poor air quality, and it was so poor, you could even see the air was hazy,” she recalled.
The doctor cited pollution exposure as especially harmful to children and advised parents to pay attention to the air quality index.
“Exposure to outdoor air pollution is responsible for both new cases of asthma, which can be lifelong, and exacerbations of asthma,” she warned.
ALA Director of Environmental Health Kevin Stewart also urged parents to keep track of the air quality.
“Make it help moderate their family’s behavior,” he said, “so they’re not out there exercising at the worst time of day.”
