"Pushed My Child Into Surgery": Heartbroken Mother Blames Delhi Pollution For Son's Health Crisis

A woman residing in Delhi shared a video describing how severe air pollution led to her young son's two years of respiratory distress and eventually required nose and throat surgery. The mother, Sakshi Pahwa, explained that her family moved to the Delhi two years ago. Soon after, her son's health began to decline, with mild allergies escalating into constant breathing problems. The doctors diagnosed his condition as "adenoids and tonsils to stage 4" and determined that surgery was the only viable treatment. 

In her emotional video, she highlighted the serious health implications of the hazardous air quality in the region and criticised the government's inaction on the pollution crisis. The video showed her son in a hospital bed post-surgery and garnered significant attention online, with many users expressing sympathy and concern. 

"Delhi NCR pollution didn't just affect the air we breathe… it pushed my little one into surgery. Two years ago we shifted here, and from that day chronic cold–cough, nonstop allergies and breathing issues began. No medicine worked, only pollution kept getting worse. As parents, watching him cry in the hospital broke us in ways words can't explain. We pay taxes… and this is what our kids get in return. It's time to speak up," she wrote in caption of the video. 

See the post here:

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A post shared by Sakshi Pahwa (@baby.khrisha_jayrit)

The heartbreaking video has sparked outrage and sympathy across social media. Users expressed grief over the child's condition, with many wishing him a speedy recovery. Others urged the mother to relocate, citing the dire health risks posed by the city's toxic air. One user wrote, "Plz change ur location. Instead of spend on medicine and watching ur child suffer. Every penny u will use to move out Delhi to anywhere in the world will be worth it."

Another commented, "May god bless him with good health. And for those who are saying its not because of pollution, please go and visit hospitals. mostly kids and old age people are getting more sick due to this toxic air."

A third user added, "Only a massive protest can save our country from pollution."

Richa Chadha, actor and mother, also reacted to the video, emphasising the need for urgent reforms to address Delhi's air quality crisis. 

Breaks my heart as a parent to see this.
Yesterday someone said “pollution will affect you even if you don't have children”. Duh, did that need to be spelt out?
It's the adults who are destroying the lives of children. Children, elderly, animals … we've let them down. Like… https://t.co/cDwJ8Jd4FJ

— RichaChadha (@RichaChadha) November 25, 2025

The video highlights the growing concern over air pollution's impact on children's health, with experts warning that pollutants can damage fetal development and lead to respiratory issues, developmental delays, and even lung cancer later in life.