Children’s doctors are trained not only to treat illness, but to prevent it. In the same way that they feel an obligation to ensure that children have the necessary immunizations, doctors should play an active role as educators, investigators, and advocates in preventing children’s exposure to harmful environmental contaminants. The fact that young children are so active, and that their lungs are still developing, means that they may be more susceptible to the adverse effects of airborne toxins, including respiratory and cardiovascular complications, eye and throat irritation, headaches or dizziness, and exacerbation of asthma symptoms- all problems that can impact the frequency of hospital admissions and school absenteeism.
Sources of outdoor pollution include transportation, industry, electrical power generation, refuse disposal, and indoor pollution can include fumes from solvents and other chemically-formulated products, asbestos, and lead exposure. One of the most harmful, and preventable, environmental hazards is exposure to tobacco smoke, in both the pre- and post-natal developmental period. Children’s exposure to second-hand smoke has been linked to an increased risk of chronic respiratory symptoms, bronchitis, pneumonia, chronic middle ear effusions, increased prevalence and severity of asthma, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), decrements in pulmonary function, and increased susceptibility to serious infectious diseases such as meningitis.
Children across the country experience varying degrees of exposure to environmental toxins. To address this will require the ongoing communication and collaboration of affected communities and many disciplines including medicine, public health, science, economics, law, and policy.
Resources
