The impact on children

We must be extra vigilant in limiting the exposure of children to these chemicals. This is largely due to the fact that children are significantly more sensitive to these chemicals. This is due to several factors:  

• Children take in a disproportionately large amount of air, food, and water per pound of body weight as compared to adults. Per pound of body weight, children inhale twice as much air, three to four times the number of calories, and an infant drinks seven times the amount of water as an adult (1, 2). Since many of these EDC's enter our body through either the air we breathe or the food we eat, children's exposure is much higher.
• Children's diets can be comprised of large amounts of juices and fruit. If these foods are exposed to pesticides, they can be disproportionately exposed to EDC's.
• Children's surface-to-volume ration (the ratio of the surface of their skin to their internal body mass) is higher, and their skin is more permeable. This leaves them more exposed to EDC's in the air.
• Younger children have a tendency to put things in their mouth as a way to explore their environment. This can easily lead to oral exposure of EDC's.
• Children, especially infants, spend more time on the floor. This leaves them more open to exposure of contaminated dust. Also, children breath air that is closer to the floor. Again, this leaves them more susceptible to harmful substances on the floor.
• Children's abilities to detoxify and excrete harmful chemicals is not sufficiently developed. Chlorpyrifos, a toxic organophosphate pesticide, has a half life (the time it takes for the concentration in the body to be halved) of 6 hours in adults, whereas it has a 36 hour half life in children (3). 
• The growth of children is incredibly delicate and complex. Even disrupting one hormone can cause serious growth issues. 

Something else to consider about children is a concept called sub clinical toxicity. Subclinical toxicity occurs when a child is exposed to harmful chemicals but shows no outward signs of the exposure. The only way to detect subclinical toxicity is through specialized IQ tests, X-rays, or tests of lung function. Despite it being so hard to detect, subclinical toxicity can still have major implications for the health of a child. For example, a New Zealand study showed that children exposed to subclinical levels of methylmercury had an IQ reduction of 3 points and more incidents of behavioral problems. A wealth of other studies on methylmercury show consistent results (4). Without actual testing, this pre-natal exposure would have gone unnoticed. 

Our children are literally the future of our society. As parents, we are hard wired to try and give them the best life that we possibly can. One way in which you can contribute a better life to your children is to be cautious of their chemical intake. While they may be too young to thank you now, they'll, eventually, be grateful for everything that you've done for them.