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Indoor Air Pollution
World Health
Organization's report
Children are not
"little adults"
VOC’s and other chemicals because their bodies are immature. Their
organs and nervous system are still developing and their metabolic rate
is higher than that of an adult, therefore they breathe in more air during
the day, inhaling and absorbing more toxins. Also, because their body’s
detoxification system is not fully developed, they are less efficient at
metabolizing and excreting toxins, which then build up in their bodies
over time.
When I was in elementary school in the 1970’s I do not recall any of my
classmates suffering from asthma. Today, childhood asthma and other
respiratory problems affect over 5 million children, and asthma is now
the leading chronic illness and the leading cause of school absenteeism
of children in the United States. Poor indoor air quality is a common
trigger for this disease.
Behavioral and developmental problems are also becoming much more
common in children in this country too. Over three million children in
the U.S. have been diagnosed with ADHD and the incidence is on the
rise. Health statistics show that visits to doctor’s offices for ADHD
concerns increased by 90% between 1989 and 1996 and the use of drugs
like Ritalin [R] in children increased 14% during that same time period.
In her book "Is this Your Child? Discovering and Treating
Unrecognized Allergies in Children and Adults" Dr. Doris Rapp, a
board-certified environmental medical specialist and pediatric allergist,
discusses in detail how many of the common chemicals found in homes,
schools, and day-care centers are the cause of many respiratory and
behavioral problems in children, and how removing the offending
chemicals from the environment can result in marked improvement in
health and behavior. Parents wanting to learn more about this topic can
find this book in their local library or from an online bookseller.
The reality is, is that we live in a chemically burdened world. They are
all around us---in the food we eat, the air we breath and the water we
drink---they are inescapable. But there are steps that we can take to
protect ourselves and our families.
Hazardous Household
Products
from the Mississippi State
University Extension
Service
Click Here
Click here to read the EPA report on Pesticides
and Child Safety
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