More than 85,000 chemical compounds have been registered in the United States since the 1960s, according to "Social Work Today" magazine. The long-term effects of these chemicals are often unknown and unexamined, but burgeoning evidence suggests that many chemicals are toxins that affect children's behavior and development.
Environmental Toxins
Polychlorinated biphenyls, banned from use in pesticides in the mid-70s, can still be found in electrical wiring and appliances. Children exposed to even low levels of PCBs while in their mothers' wombs can have low IQs, memory problems and poor reading comprehension, according to "Social Work Today." Chemicals used as flame retardants can disrupt fetal brain development. These chemicals have been identified in breast milk and household dust according to the magazine. Plasticizers--chemicals found in water bottles, pacifiers, dental sealant and baby bottles--can affect fetal, infant and child neurological development by disrupting hormone production, the American Academy of Pediatrics says. Exposure to mercury can affect infant and child behavior and the ability to learn and think, according to Argonne National Laboratory.
Vulnerability of Children
Children are more vulnerable to toxins than adults because they are growing and developing, according to the Healthy Child website. Relative to their body weight, children ages of 1 to 5 eat up to four times as much as adults. Likewise, an infant's intake of air is twice that of an adult, relative to size. Further, children's behavior maximizes their exposure to heavy metals and pesticides. Babies suck and gum whatever they can grab. Children spend a lot of time outdoors exploring their environment and using playground equipment.
Food Additives and Behavior
Dietary factors may affect the occurrence and severity of impulsivity, hyperactivity, inattention and other symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Food additives including bleaching agents, thickeners, aspartame, food coloring, vegetable gums and preservatives may trigger or exacerbate ADHD symptoms, according to Wendy Hodsdon of The Diet Channel. The American Academy of Pediatrics published an official statement in 2008 suggesting that children with ADHD should avoid foods containing additives, including food colors, monosodium glutamate, nitrates and aspartame.
Salicylate Sensitivity
Not all toxins are man-made. Many vegetables, fruits and herbs have chemicals called salicylates. These chemicals protect plants from diseases, insects and bacteria but can create an adverse response in sensitive individuals. This response occurs after an accumulation of salicylates reaches a threshold. The condition, called salicylate sensitivity, creates symptoms that mimic ADHD, such as hyperactivity, concentration problems, attention deficits and irritability, according to the website Salicylate Sensitivity.
Autism
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that may result from a disruption in brain development during gestation. Symptoms include impairment in social behavior, speech deficits, obsessive behavior, attachment problems and avoidance of eye contact. Autism rates more than tripled between 2000 and 2008, according to the developmental disorder research and resource website Thoughtful House. This increase in autism is not simply because of more effective or aggressive diagnostic practices, according to research described at the Environmental Health News website, but reflects an actual increase in autism rates. Research suggests this trend may be the result of environmental toxins. For example, children who live within a 10- to 20-mile radius of hazardous waste sites are almost twice as likely to have autistic symptoms as children who live farther from these toxic sites, according to Environmental Health News.
References
- American Academy of Pediatrics: ADHD and Food Additives Revisited
- Argonne National Laboratory: Mercury
- Enivornmental Health News: Autism risk higher near toxic waste sites
- Healthy Child: Babies & Kids More Vulnerable to Toxins
- Salicylate Sensitivity: Information on Salicylates and Salicylate Sensitivity
