Children's charter for lung health.

Every child and young person has the right to breathe clean air, with healthy lungs. Preconception, in utero and early life exposures, affect children’s lungs, their lung growth and their long-term health. Government, societal and individual action to address this is needed, including the provision and distribution of the necessary resources, both to protect children now and to prevent future ill health, disability and premature death.1–5 Government, charities, professional bodies and other organisations must consider impacts on child health in all their policies and ensure that children, as well as their families and carers, have appropriate protection and support. To address this, the Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation Partnership Children’s Charter for Lung Health, endorsed by The British Paediatric Respiratory Society and the British Thoracic Society as well as the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Respiratory Care and the Association of Respiratory Nurse Specialistshere sets out 10 principles in three groups to guide policy development and action (figure 1). Figure 1 The Asthma UK and British Lung Foundation Partnership Children’s Charter for Lung Health. ### Giving lungs the best start—parental health and health in pregnancy Healthy lung growth and development starts before birth. Healthy babies require healthy parents. Addressing inequality, social deprivation, structural racism and the corporate determinants of health6 is fundamental to this, so that preconception and pregnancy risk factors like poverty, poor housing, smoking, dietary factors, obesity and stress can be reduced or avoided. Parents must have the capabilities to live in as healthy a way as possible, in all aspects of daily life, in the home and at work. ### Growing lungs need to breathe clean air Exposure to particulate and other forms of pollution harms lung growth, increases the risk of developing lung disease and causes acute attacks in children who …