September 12, 2007
Children More Sensitive to Air Quality Related Cancers
Concerns about air quality have triggered a burgeoning campaign to spread information about the risks associated with pollution, both indoors and outdoors. The true concern stems from research that reflects a correspondence between an increase in disease and increase in contaminants in our environments.
The group that is most heavily impacted by poor air quality is infants, toddlers and children. There are several reason for this:
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Children and infants breathe more rapidly than adults and are therefore exposed to greater amounts of pollution.
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Children often breathe through their mouths, bypassing the nose, which acts as a natural filter to remove contaminants before they reach the lungs—and from the lungs, reach the bloodstream.
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Organs and immune systems in children are still in developing stages and can be stunted or remain underdeveloped into adulthood if expose to heavy pollution. (for example: if a child inhales lead, it will quickly be deposited in growing bones, whereas the same is not true for an adult).
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Inflammation due to allergic reactions or irritants is more likely to cause the small airways of children to squeeze closed.
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Less exposure is needed for children to start experiencing asthma attacks and other respiratory ailments because their developing lungs are more sensitive than an adult’s.
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Exposure to dangerous elements in the air can interfere with development of respiratory, nervous, endocrine and immune systems in children and infants. Inhaling pollution in the air can also increase the risk of cancer as an adult.
For a long time, children have been figured out of the equation. Most of the EPA guidelines were based on the levels of contaminants that an adult could endure, but often it is children who are most susceptible to problems associated with poor air quality. The EPA has set exposure limits until an individual has reached what is called an “acceptable lifetime cancer risk”—or enough exposure up your chances of being diagnosed with cancer to last a lifetime. In some cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, children reach their acceptable lifetime cancer risk within the first 12 to 20 days of their life.
When children are this young, most of the exposure takes place in their homes. There is no better place to address the quality of air you breathe than in your own home (often indoor air contains a concentrated version of the pollution found outside, simply because of the airtight style of construction used to make buildings more energy efficient.
Using a HEPA filter in you children or infant’s room can make major difference the quality of air that they breathe. HEPA filters, like those made by Dynamic Air Cleaners, will catch harmful particulate as well as fumes before they reach your child’s lungs. Dynamic makes two models of “bedroom-sized” air cleaners: the Dynamic CT100 Air Cleaner (for rooms under 100 square feet) and the Dynamic CT500 Air Cleaner (for rooms under 500 square feet).
Spread the word
