Health
Mosquito coils may trigger breathing disorders in children, say paediatricians
Iyanuoluwa Abiola
Children who sleep in rooms where mosquito coils are burning could be exposed to smoke and pollutants that may irritate their airways and trigger breathing difficulties, particularly in poorly ventilated spaces, paediatricians have warned.
The specialists explained that children are more vulnerable because their airways are smaller and still developing, while younger children also spend longer hours asleep and may therefore remain exposed to the smoke for extended periods.
They cautioned that although mosquito coils are commonly used to repel mosquitoes, burning them indoors can release particulate matter and other pollutants into the air, making prolonged exposure potentially harmful.
The World Health Organisation notes that household air pollution is associated with serious health risks, particularly among children, and estimates that household air pollution was responsible for 2.9 million deaths globally in 2021, including more than 309,000 deaths among children under five. WHO also states that 44 per cent of pneumonia deaths among children under five are attributable to household air pollution.
However, the WHO figures cover household air pollution from sources such as polluting fuels and technologies used for cooking, heating and lighting and should not be interpreted as deaths caused specifically by mosquito coils.
A study published in the journal CHEST found that burning mosquito coils in a closed bedroom for six hours produced high levels of fine particulate matter, with average PM2.5 concentrations reaching 1,031 microgrammes per cubic metre and peak concentrations of 1,613 microgrammes per cubic metre. The study also recorded carbon monoxide levels averaging 6.50 parts per million, with peaks of 10.27 parts per million.
The researchers noted that improved ventilation reduced the concentration of pollutants in the room.
The concern is particularly relevant in Nigeria, which bears a significant burden of malaria. The World Health Organisation reported that Nigeria accounted for 31.9 per cent of malaria deaths in the WHO African Region in 2024, while children under five accounted for about three-quarters of malaria deaths in the region.
A Nigerian study examining carbon monoxide emissions from mosquito coils found that three of five brands tested exceeded the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Environment and WHO indoor carbon monoxide limit of nine parts per million in different bedroom environments. The study also found that exposure levels varied according to room size.
In an exclusive interview with PUNCH HealthWise, Dr Abdurrazzaq Alege, Head of Paediatrics at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, explained that pollutants released by burning mosquito coils could remain trapped in enclosed rooms and be inhaled by children.
“When you have an enclosed environment, these chemicals tend to stay longer inside,” Alege explained.
The Consultant Paediatrician noted that exposure could manifest in symptoms such as coughing, noisy breathing and difficulty breathing.
“Typically, all these chemicals enter the airway and cause irritation. This can result in defensive coughing, or you are having difficulty breathing, or having noisy breathing,” he explained.
Alege noted that younger children may be particularly susceptible because of the size and stage of development of their airways.
“The child has a smaller airway. His airway is narrower. Apart from being narrower, the younger infant’s airway is still developing,” he stated.
He added that the longer sleeping hours of children could also increase the duration of exposure.
“The child spends a longer time in bed. That is because he sleeps longer than the parents,” Alege noted.
According to the paediatrician, children who already have a predisposition to asthma may react more strongly when exposed to the irritants.
“If the child has the predisposition to be asthmatic, that is because the child will now react to these chemicals when it enters the airway,” he explained.
However, Alege cautioned against suggesting that mosquito-coil smoke automatically causes permanent lung damage, noting that its more immediate concern for susceptible children is the triggering of asthma attacks.
“To say that it will cause permanent lung damage, no. It doesn’t necessarily cause permanent lung damage. But what will happen is that it causes, it triggers asthma attacks,” he stated.
Speaking exclusively with PUNCH HealthWise, Dr Femi Akodu, Consultant Paediatrician, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Ogun State, advised parents to reduce children’s exposure to mosquito-coil smoke and use safer mosquito-control measures.
He urged parents to take breathing difficulties seriously and seek medical attention when a child develops symptoms.
“Typically, when the child starts to have, or finds it difficult to breathe, we expect that the child should be attended to, or taken to the nearest health centre,” Akodu advised.
Rather than relying on burning coils indoors, Akodu recommended other mosquito-control methods.
“There are mosquito repellents. All these are better than burning the oil in the house,” he stated.
He also encouraged families to tackle mosquito breeding by keeping their surroundings clean and removing stagnant water.
“Empty stagnant water, don’t allow stagnant water around the house. So, all this keeps the environment clean,” he explained.
Akodu further cautioned parents to keep children away when insecticides are being sprayed inside the home.
“But we should be careful that when we spray the house, it should be at the time, at least when children are not around,” he advised.
Mosquito nets, appropriate repellents, good ventilation and eliminating stagnant water around the home can help reduce children’s exposure to mosquito-coil smoke and other indoor pollutants.
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