<![CDATA[Introduction: Air pollution causes a wide range of health problems, particularly among vulnerable populations such as children. Exposure to air pollution may impair respiratory function during early infancy, a critical period of lung growth. This systematic review synthesises observational studies to assess how prenatal and postnatal air pollution exposure affects lung development and function in early childhood. Discussion: This systematic literature review summarises observational studies published over past 20 years in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed, Scopus, and Semantic Scholar were used to identify relevant literature examining the effects of air pollution exposure from the prenatal period to eight years of age on early childhood respiratory development. Exposure to air pollutants such as PM2.5, NO2, and O3 has been associated with reduced lung function and an increased risk of asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The strongest effects appear to occur during the prenatal period and early postnatal life. Oxidative damage, systemic inflammation, and airway epithelial dysfunction are some of the main causes. Conclusion: Air pollution, particularly tobacco smoke, adversely affects lung development in children. Higher levels of exposure are associated with reduced lung function and an increased risk of respiratory diseases.]]>
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