Environmental Health Risks to Children
Saylor Blankenship
HHE 445
October 23, 2014
Chapter 1: Describe the types of environmental health problems that prevail in the developing world. Give at least three examples.There are many diseases and conditions, found in adolescence, that may be strongly linked to environmental exposures. Evidence shows that Asthma, ADHD, and diarrheal infections are just a few of the long list of illnesses.
Although the causes of asthma are not known, one recent ten year study found that the ozone was linked to causing asthma, especially among physically active school age children living in high ozone activities. In an EPA investigation twenty seven percent of schools in the United States reported unsatisfactory ventilation. Out of the twenty seven percent, twenty two percent reported unsatisfactory indoor air quality as a whole. Many indoor triggers of asthma attacks include irritants such as chemical products, building components, animal and insect allergens, environmental tobacco smoke and molds.
ADHD is another condition experts say could be linked to environmental exposure. ADHD could be a result of complex interactions among environmental factors that that impact children during important stages of their development. Known causes of brain or nervous system disorders, such as ADHD, are exposure to lead, methyl mercury, and some pesticides.
Unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation can cause diarrheal infections, most of which are life threatening. Eighty to ninety percent of diarrheal diseases are a result from environmental factors. In 2001, diarrheal infections caused nearly two million deaths in children under the age of five. Poor sanitation conditions and inadequate personal, household, and community hygiene are responsible for most of deaths.
Environmental health risks to children are increasingly being recognized as an international problem. Although progress has been made in reducing death from environmentally mediated diseases, such as
HHE 445
October 23, 2014
Chapter 1: Describe the types of environmental health problems that prevail in the developing world. Give at least three examples.There are many diseases and conditions, found in adolescence, that may be strongly linked to environmental exposures. Evidence shows that Asthma, ADHD, and diarrheal infections are just a few of the long list of illnesses.
Although the causes of asthma are not known, one recent ten year study found that the ozone was linked to causing asthma, especially among physically active school age children living in high ozone activities. In an EPA investigation twenty seven percent of schools in the United States reported unsatisfactory ventilation. Out of the twenty seven percent, twenty two percent reported unsatisfactory indoor air quality as a whole. Many indoor triggers of asthma attacks include irritants such as chemical products, building components, animal and insect allergens, environmental tobacco smoke and molds.
ADHD is another condition experts say could be linked to environmental exposure. ADHD could be a result of complex interactions among environmental factors that that impact children during important stages of their development. Known causes of brain or nervous system disorders, such as ADHD, are exposure to lead, methyl mercury, and some pesticides.
Unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation can cause diarrheal infections, most of which are life threatening. Eighty to ninety percent of diarrheal diseases are a result from environmental factors. In 2001, diarrheal infections caused nearly two million deaths in children under the age of five. Poor sanitation conditions and inadequate personal, household, and community hygiene are responsible for most of deaths.
Environmental health risks to children are increasingly being recognized as an international problem. Although progress has been made in reducing death from environmentally mediated diseases, such as