In recent decades, rates of developmental disabilities, asthma, obesity, diabetes, and certain types of cancer in children have increased. Of complex etiology, experts point to other factors that - in addition to genetics - may be influencing.
Among them environmental factors, water, food, nutritional deficits or psychosocial stress are included. They are causal factors capable of interacting with the genetic predisposition, and also with each other.
Today we all witness the inability of governments to address environmental threats, and those who suffer the most are children (also those who are still in their prenatal period). “According to WHO, 36 percent of global infant mortality is attributable to these environmental causes; and (attention) 43% of the total environmental burden of these diseases falls on children under five".
A scientific study published in The Lancet attributes to chemicals the increase in the list of children with some type of developmental disorder (whose incidence has doubled since 2006). It could be that autism, ADHD and dyslexia were 'favored' by environmental pollution. The experts who have participated in the study, describe the consequences of exposure to these 'environmental threats', as a “silent global pandemic”. And well, no one hides by pointing out environmental pollution as a factor related to the appearance of asthma, congenital heart defects, low birth weight, ... and the list continues.
In the cover photo there is a protest against what the protesters call "environmental criminals", and we may think that it is not the solution; but without social pressure we will hardly observe more commitment on this issue
Philip J. Landrigan and Ruth A Etzel are the authors of the study, and a book entitled "Children's Environmental Health," edited by Oxford University Press, has been published this year. Both are pediatricians, and have a lot of experience trying to combine the achievements of the research, with the commitments of politicians.
Environmental pollutants and children's health
As stated in the study, the greatest concern is the high number of children who are affected by toxic damage to brain development. They suffer from reduced attention span, developmental delay and poor school performance. Experts suspect that industrial chemicals are emerging as possible causes
The effects of exposure are often preventable, and efforts should focus on this. Because during the first years of life, the detoxification and repair organs are still immature, that's why These pollutants can influence development, and this is likely to have lasting consequences.
In some sectors there is a real interest in the protection of environmental health, and especially in regard to children, however today they are still considered critical, but ultimately the critical spirit is very necessary and even more so in the running times, otherwise we can hardly move towards an improved situation.
The book is very complete (although complex for the general public) and analyzes the chemicals associated with chronic diseases and developmental disorders; It also provides clues about how these can weaken the neurological development of childhood. Evidence is provided, and the strategies to prevent and control diseases that have an environmental origin are pointed out.
Investigators they have found 214 potentially dangerous substances, both frequent and in highly industrialized environments, or cities with high traffic volumes: manganese, fluoride, pesticides, ethers, tetrachlorethylene, mercury, bisphenol A, formaldehyde, and a long etc.
As we have been told by FAROS, "experts recommend the creation of an international product evaluation center, which could certify whether or not they are neurotoxic. A solution that should not be a great inconvenience, since there have been some technical means necessary to do this kind of tests. "
Images | Takver, David Leo Veksler Via | HEADLIGHTS More information | The Lancet In Peques and More | Some substances that plastics contain can interfere with the development of the nervous system
