Protect Your Child From Environmental Health Risks.

Protect Your Child From Protect Your Child From Environmental Health Environmental Health RisksRisks

Why is your child at Why is your child at greater risk?greater risk? Your child’s body is still growing Your child’s body is still growing

inside.inside. Your child takes in more air, Your child takes in more air,

liquids and food per pound than liquids and food per pound than you.you.

Your child’s behavior exposes her Your child’s behavior exposes her to different environmental threats.to different environmental threats.

Your child’s changing Your child’s changing body -body - At birth, your baby’s nervous, At birth, your baby’s nervous,

respiratory, reproductive and respiratory, reproductive and immune systems are not fully immune systems are not fully developed.developed.

Exposure to environmental risks Exposure to environmental risks can affect development.can affect development.

Your child is more vulnerable to Your child is more vulnerable to toxins and microbes than you.toxins and microbes than you.

What your child takes What your child takes in -in - Your child breathes in more air per Your child breathes in more air per

pound of weight than you.pound of weight than you.

Your child takes in more food and Your child takes in more food and liquid per pound of weight than liquid per pound of weight than you.you.

This causes your child to ingest This causes your child to ingest more pollutants, making her more more pollutants, making her more susceptible to toxins.susceptible to toxins.

Your child’s behavior -Your child’s behavior -

Your child spends more time on Your child spends more time on the ground or floor, exposing her the ground or floor, exposing her to toxins in dust, soil & carpet.to toxins in dust, soil & carpet.

She engages in a lot of hand-to-She engages in a lot of hand-to-mouth contact.mouth contact.

She spends more time outdoors, She spends more time outdoors, which increases her exposure to which increases her exposure to outdoor pollutants.outdoor pollutants.

Lead PoisoningLead Poisoning

You can not see, smell or taste lead. You can not see, smell or taste lead. It can be around without you knowing.It can be around without you knowing.

Lead can be in dust, paint, soil, Lead can be in dust, paint, soil, drinking water or food.drinking water or food.

Your child can consume lead when:Your child can consume lead when:– Crawling on the floor.Crawling on the floor.– Playing in dirt around the home.Playing in dirt around the home.– Putting toys in his mouth.Putting toys in his mouth.

Lead Poisoning EffectsLead Poisoning Effects

Lead poisoning can cause:Lead poisoning can cause:– Decreases in IQDecreases in IQ– Reading and learning disabilitiesReading and learning disabilities– Impaired hearingImpaired hearing– HyperactivityHyperactivity– Decreased growthDecreased growth– Brain damageBrain damage

How to protect your How to protect your childchild Have your home Have your home

tested if it was tested if it was built before 1978.built before 1978.

Test your child’s Test your child’s blood lead level.blood lead level.

Keep your home Keep your home clean and dust clean and dust free.free.

How to protect your How to protect your childchild Have your water tested for lead.Have your water tested for lead.

– Do not use hot water for drinking or Do not use hot water for drinking or formula.formula.

– Run the cold water 60 seconds Run the cold water 60 seconds before use.before use.

Feed your child iron and calcium Feed your child iron and calcium rich foods.rich foods.

PesticidesPesticides

Pesticides are used to prevent & kill Pesticides are used to prevent & kill pests.pests.

Your child is at risk if she crawls and Your child is at risk if she crawls and plays on pesticide sprayed floors and plays on pesticide sprayed floors and lawns.lawns.

Your child may put things that have Your child may put things that have touched pesticides into her mouth.touched pesticides into her mouth.

Your child may eat fresh produce that Your child may eat fresh produce that has been sprayed for pests.has been sprayed for pests.

Effects of PesticidesEffects of Pesticides

PoisoningPoisoning

Birth defectsBirth defects

Nerve damageNerve damage

CancerCancer

Allergies and Allergies and asthmaasthma

How to protect your How to protect your childchild

Try something besides pesticides Try something besides pesticides before using chemicals.before using chemicals.

Store pesticides in the original Store pesticides in the original container in a locked cabinet or shed.container in a locked cabinet or shed.

Read the label and follow directions.Read the label and follow directions. Buy limited quantities & give away Buy limited quantities & give away

excess.excess. Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly.Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly.

Toxic Household Toxic Household ChemicalsChemicals Toxic household chemicals Toxic household chemicals

include normal items such as include normal items such as bleach, lighter fluid, oven cleaner, bleach, lighter fluid, oven cleaner, batteries, mercury thermometers, batteries, mercury thermometers, shoe polish and gasoline.shoe polish and gasoline.

Your child may be poisoned if he Your child may be poisoned if he eats or drinks these household eats or drinks these household chemicals.chemicals.

Effects of Toxic Effects of Toxic Household ChemicalsHousehold Chemicals Toxic substances may:Toxic substances may:

– Burn skin or eyes.Burn skin or eyes.– Make your child sick to his stomach.Make your child sick to his stomach.– Cause itching.Cause itching.

Long-term exposure can:Long-term exposure can:– Slow your child’s growth.Slow your child’s growth.– Damage his lungs.Damage his lungs.– Cause cancer.Cause cancer.


Try safe products such as a Try safe products such as a plunger or vinegar before you plunger or vinegar before you use chemicals.use chemicals.

Store chemicals Store chemicals out of the reach out of the reach of your child. of your child.


Follow label directions.Follow label directions.

Keep the Poison Control Keep the Poison Control Center number near the Center number near the telephone.telephone.

Never burn or dump leftover Never burn or dump leftover chemicals on your property.chemicals on your property.

Polluted Water & Polluted Water & Contaminated FishContaminated Fish

Polluted water poses risks to your child Polluted water poses risks to your child when she drinks unfiltered water or when she drinks unfiltered water or swims in polluted lakes or streams.swims in polluted lakes or streams.

Infants are most at risk because:Infants are most at risk because:– They drink more fluids per pound of They drink more fluids per pound of

weight.weight.– Their immune system is still developing.Their immune system is still developing.

Freshwater fish may be contaminated Freshwater fish may be contaminated with mercury, which can be harmful.with mercury, which can be harmful.

Effects on Your ChildEffects on Your Child Bacteria and viruses may cause Bacteria and viruses may cause

upset stomach, diarrhea or more upset stomach, diarrhea or more serious illness.serious illness.

Nitrates in drinking water affect an Nitrates in drinking water affect an infant’s ability to absorb oxygen. infant’s ability to absorb oxygen.

Eating fish contaminated with Eating fish contaminated with mercury or PCBs may threaten a mercury or PCBs may threaten a child’s developing nervous system.child’s developing nervous system.

How to protect your How to protect your childchild Have your well Have your well

tested once a year.tested once a year.

Keep chemicals Keep chemicals away from the well.away from the well.

Read carefully the Read carefully the annual water quality annual water quality report from your report from your public water system.public water system.


Properly maintain Properly maintain home water home water treatment systems.treatment systems.

Do not feed children Do not feed children freshwater fish if freshwater fish if there is an advisory.there is an advisory.

Always follow swim Always follow swim advisories.advisories.

Carbon MonoxideCarbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, tasteless, odorless gas colorless, tasteless, odorless gas from combustion appliances and from combustion appliances and car exhaust.car exhaust.

Appliances that are not hooked up Appliances that are not hooked up or working right may produce CO.or working right may produce CO.

Children are at higher risk from CO.Children are at higher risk from CO. Fetuses are especially at risk.Fetuses are especially at risk.

Effects of Carbon Effects of Carbon MonoxideMonoxide

HeadacheHeadache

DizzinessDizziness

WeaknessWeakness

NauseaNausea

VomitingVomiting

ComaComa

Possible Possible deathdeath

How to protect your How to protect your childchild Have a professional Have a professional

check furnace flues, check furnace flues, fuel-burning fuel-burning appliances and appliances and chimneys once a year.chimneys once a year.

Do not use burners or Do not use burners or gas ovens for heat.gas ovens for heat.


Do not use unvented gas or Do not use unvented gas or kerosene heaters where your kerosene heaters where your child sleeps.child sleeps.

Do not idle cars or mowers in the Do not idle cars or mowers in the garage.garage.

Install a carbon monoxide alarm Install a carbon monoxide alarm near your child’s room.near your child’s room.

AsbestosAsbestos

Asbestos fibers are dangerous when Asbestos fibers are dangerous when breathed in.breathed in.

Asbestos fibers cannot be removed Asbestos fibers cannot be removed from the lungs once they are from the lungs once they are inhaled.inhaled.

Asbestos was used in manufactured Asbestos was used in manufactured goods until the 1970’s.goods until the 1970’s.

Asbestos is often found in schools.Asbestos is often found in schools.

Effects of AsbestosEffects of Asbestos

Known to Known to cause cancer.cause cancer.

Continuing Continuing exposure exposure increases the increases the risk of risk of developing developing cancer.cancer.


Consider having your home tested if it Consider having your home tested if it was built before 1980 and you suspect was built before 1980 and you suspect asbestos.asbestos.

Hire a certified contractor to remove Hire a certified contractor to remove deteriorating asbestos from your home.deteriorating asbestos from your home.

Do not allow your child to play in areas Do not allow your child to play in areas where you suspect asbestos is present.where you suspect asbestos is present.

Talk to school officials to find out if there Talk to school officials to find out if there is asbestos in your child’s school. is asbestos in your child’s school.

Asthma from Air Asthma from Air PollutionPollution Asthma is the leading chronic illness Asthma is the leading chronic illness

in children in the United States.in children in the United States. Outdoor air pollution triggers include Outdoor air pollution triggers include

ozone, plant pollen, and mold spores.ozone, plant pollen, and mold spores. Indoor air pollution triggers include:Indoor air pollution triggers include:

– Pets kept indoors.Pets kept indoors.– Damp basements.Damp basements.– Cockroaches.Cockroaches.

Effects of AsthmaEffects of Asthma

Asthma causes airways to narrow Asthma causes airways to narrow which makes it more difficult to which makes it more difficult to breathe.breathe.

Asthma deaths are on the rise in Asthma deaths are on the rise in children.children.

Exposure to air pollutants can Exposure to air pollutants can trigger or worsen asthma attacks.trigger or worsen asthma attacks.

How to protect your How to protect your childchild Keep your child Keep your child

indoors during ozone indoors during ozone level alerts or high level alerts or high pollen count alerts.pollen count alerts.

Clean carpets and Clean carpets and floors often.floors often.

Keep animals outside Keep animals outside or out of bedrooms. or out of bedrooms.


Vent combustion Vent combustion appliances appliances outdoors.outdoors.

Control moisture Control moisture in your home.in your home.

Ban smoking in Ban smoking in the home and the home and car.car.

RadonRadon

Radon gas is made when radium Radon gas is made when radium decays.decays.

It enters the home though cracks in the It enters the home though cracks in the foundation or porous blocks or walls.foundation or porous blocks or walls.

Radon levels vary across the country.Radon levels vary across the country.

It is estimated that 17 to 25% of It is estimated that 17 to 25% of Kentucky homes have high radon Kentucky homes have high radon levels.levels.

Effects of RadonEffects of Radon

Inhalation of radon causes Inhalation of radon causes increased rates of lung cancer. increased rates of lung cancer.

Children who play in basements Children who play in basements are most at risk because levels are most at risk because levels are usually higher there. are usually higher there.

Cigarette smoking multiplies the Cigarette smoking multiplies the risk of radon-induced lung cancer.risk of radon-induced lung cancer.

How to protect your How to protect your childchild Test your home with a home test kit Test your home with a home test kit

or have it tested by a professional.or have it tested by a professional. Seal cracks in the foundation and Seal cracks in the foundation and

increase ventilation.increase ventilation. Ban smoking in the home if radon is Ban smoking in the home if radon is

found.found. Do not let children spend much time Do not let children spend much time

in the basement.in the basement.

Tobacco SmokeTobacco Smoke

Tobacco smoke can Tobacco smoke can impact the health of impact the health of everyone exposed, everyone exposed, especially children.especially children.

Smoking indoors or Smoking indoors or in cars increases in cars increases the level of the level of exposure.exposure.

Effects of Tobacco Effects of Tobacco SmokeSmoke Frequent exposure increases your Frequent exposure increases your

child’s risk for:child’s risk for:

– Acute or chronic respiratory Acute or chronic respiratory conditions.conditions.

– Bronchitis or pneumonia.Bronchitis or pneumonia.

– Ear infections.Ear infections.

– Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).


Do not smoke in your home or Do not smoke in your home or car, or around your child.car, or around your child.

If someone smokes indoors, open If someone smokes indoors, open windows or use exhaust fans.windows or use exhaust fans.

Talk to your teenagers about the Talk to your teenagers about the dangers of smoking.dangers of smoking.

Getting Too Much SunGetting Too Much Sun

Too much exposure to the sun may Too much exposure to the sun may be dangerous for your child.be dangerous for your child.

Severe sunburns increase the risk of Severe sunburns increase the risk of developing skin cancer later in life.developing skin cancer later in life.

A fair skinned child with red or A fair skinned child with red or blond hair and blue, green or gray blond hair and blue, green or gray eyes is most at risk.eyes is most at risk.

Effects of Too Much Effects of Too Much SunSun

Increased risk of Increased risk of skin cancer later in skin cancer later in life.life.

Damage to your Damage to your child’s immune child’s immune system.system.

Eye damage and Eye damage and an increased risk an increased risk of cataracts.of cataracts.


Keep infants under 6 months of age out of Keep infants under 6 months of age out of the sun.the sun.

Use sunscreen on children over 6 months.Use sunscreen on children over 6 months. Limit your child’s time in the midday sun. Limit your child’s time in the midday sun. Encourage your child to wear sunglasses Encourage your child to wear sunglasses

and a hat with a broad brim.and a hat with a broad brim. Warn teenagers about tanning beds.Warn teenagers about tanning beds.

Protect Your Child From Environmental Health Risks.

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