Overview
- Doctors report that firecrackers release PM2.5, PM10, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and heavy metals that can linger for 24–72 hours.
- Infants and young children face higher risk because they breathe faster and have narrower, developing airways that react more severely to irritation.
- A 2015 AIIMS Delhi analysis found paediatric respiratory emergency visits double after Diwali, and research in The Lancet Planetary Health links short-term spikes to more infant hospitalisations.
- Clinicians advise staying indoors during peak cracker hours, using well-fitted N95 masks outdoors, running air purifiers, closing windows and keeping prescribed inhalers or medications accessible.
- Specialists also note post-festival rises in skin and eye complaints and warn sensitive children about food allergens in festive sweets, urging careful label checks and safe substitutes.