A woman from Noida, Sakshi Pahwa, recently shared a distressing video of her young son in hospital, claiming that persistent air pollution in the Delhi–NCR region caused serious health problems that ultimately required surgery.
Pahwa said her family relocated to Delhi-NCR two years ago. According to her, soon after the move the boy began suffering from chronic cold, frequent allergies, respiratory distress, and breathing difficulties. Despite several courses of treatment, including antibiotics, steroid sprays, and other remedies, his condition did not improve.
Eventually, doctors diagnosed him with severely inflamed adenoids and tonsils (“stage 4” by the family’s account), and recommended surgical removal, reportedly the only viable option.
In her social-media post, Pahwa wrote: “Delhi NCR pollution didn’t just affect the air we breathe… it pushed my little one into surgery.”
The video has since gone viral, drawing widespread sympathy and outrage, particularly from parents and residents of NCR who report similar health concerns in their children.
Delhi and the surrounding NCR region have recently experienced severe ambient-air pollution. For example, in early November 2025, average Air Quality Index (AQI) values hovered around 348; on certain days the index spiked to 400+, well into the “very poor” or “hazardous” categories.
Experts attribute the pollution surge to a combination of factors: vehicular emissions, construction dust, regional crop-residue burning, industrial emissions, and adverse winter weather causing stagnation of air masses — all of which increase concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5, PM10) and other pollutants.
Children are particularly vulnerable to air pollution. Their lungs and airways are still developing, and their breathing rate is higher relative to adults — so airborne pollutants are more likely to cause irritation, inflammation, repeated infections, and long-term effects.
Chronic exposure to polluted air is associated with increased risk of upper-airway problems like enlarged adenoids/tonsils, recurrent bronchitis, asthma exacerbations, and other respiratory conditions.
When pollution triggers repeated inflammation over months or years, structural changes (like adenoid hypertrophy) can occur, which may require surgical intervention — particularly when conservative medical therapy fails.
After Pahwa’s video went viral on platforms such as Instagram and X, many parents from Delhi-NCR shared similar concerns — reporting repeated respiratory ailments, frequent hospital visits, and chronic allergies in their children.
Prominent voices including celebrities, activists and public users expressed alarm and called for accountability from civic authorities, urging stronger air-quality control and better protection for children.
This case draws attention to a worrying pattern: ambient-air pollution not only aggravates pre-existing conditions, but may actively contribute to persistent, severe respiratory illnesses necessitating invasive treatments even in children.
While causation in a single case cannot be scientifically confirmed without longitudinal air-quality and medical data, the family’s account aligns with established scientific understanding: recurrent exposure to poor air can worsen airway inflammation and contribute to structural changes requiring surgery.
Public-health observers argue that this underscores the need for more pediatric respiratory surveillance, air-quality monitoring, and community awareness — especially in regions like Delhi-NCR with recurring severe pollution episodes.
(Rh/TL/MSM)