Effects of pollution made worse by strollers?

Children in strollers may be exposed to higher levels of pollution than the parents pushing the pram, according to a new study reported by Le Parisien.

French researchers equipped two strollers with micro-particle sensors and then took them for a walk to simulate real world conditions, traveling to and from a child’s school through the heart of Aix-en-Provence, a city in France.

They found that the pollution levels inside the stroller were two to ten times higher than the guidelines set out by the World Health Organization. While the WHO recommends a maximum exposure of ten micrograms of pollution, levels in the stroller rarely dipped below 20 micrograms and went up to 60 micrograms in downtown parts of the city.

To minimize the effects of pollution on your toddler, use a stroller that seats the child as high from the ground as possible, and try to choose a path that keeps you away from busy streets and the city core.