Infants are exposed every day to toxic chemicals and other harmful substances in the air they breathe, the water they drink, even in their mothers’ milk. Exposure to these health hazards is putting children at risk for asthma, cancer, and developmental problems. Even infant death and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) have been linked to toxic air.

Being small makes a big difference
When the environment is unhealthy, being small makes a big difference. Children two years of age and under have ten times the risk of adults from exposure to toxins, according to Martin Lorin, MD, professor of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine. Infants take 45 breaths to 10 adult breaths. Per pound of body weight, they also drink more fluids and eat more food than adults. Infants’ immune systems are weaker. Their skin is thinner and more permeable, and they have a larger surface area for absorption relative to weight. The lungs and airways of infants are especially susceptible to harm from toxins, particulate matter and ozone in the air.

What is known is just the tip of the iceberg
In a presentation for the 2004 Scientific Symposium on “Children’s Health as Impacted by Environmental Contaminants,” Dr. Lorin explained that “associations between environmental toxins and asthma, cancer, malformations and developmental problems are just the tip of the iceberg.” Although not yet proven, exposure to toxins early in life may be associated with autism, violence, depression, alienation, aggression, hostility, cruelty and antisocial behavior, he said.

Behavioral problems and learning differences
It has been thought that juvenile delinquency and criminal behavior are results of an unhealthy family environment. But toxic chemicals and heavy metals in the environment may be at least part of the cause. Several studies show an association between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or learning differences and criminal behavior. (http://216.117.159.91/crimetimes/02b/wpobp11.htm) While it is difficult to prove a link between ADHD in children and exposure to toxins, a study by Deborah Rice, EPA toxicologist and former Health Canada research scientist, found that monkeys exposed to lead and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have patterns of behavior similar to children with ADHD.

A University of Pittsburgh study compared bone lead levels of 194 delinquent adolescents, ages 12-18, in the juvenile court system, with non-delinquent adolescents and found that the delinquent adolescents’ bones had about 10 times the amount of lead found in the non-delinquent teenagers’ bones (11 parts per million (ppm) vs. 1.5 ppm).

Long-term dangers of persistent, biocumulative and toxic pollutants
Lead and PCBs are just two of a long list of toxins known to be persistent, biocumulative and toxic (PBT) -- they poison the environment over a long period of time and accumulate in the food chain. These toxins are stored in fat or bone and can stay in the body for a lifetime.

Research shows that toxins may have health consequences over more than one lifetime. A study of women in Seveso, Italy found 25 years after a dioxin catastrophe there, the women had concentrations of TCDD, a highly toxic by-product of dioxin, more than twice as high as women from other cities in the study. The researchers concluded that the breastfed infants of Seveso will continue to store TCDD in their body fat.

Brain, nervous system and reproductive disorders
PBT substances include dioxins, DDT, mercury, lead, pesticides and some flame retardants. Exposure to these toxins during infancy has been linked to brain and nervous system disorders. In addition to ADHD and ADD, effects include developmental delays, functional abnormalities, poor school performance, learning disabilities and behavioral problems.

Many of the same toxins have been linked to reproductive effects, which include altered growth, and delayed or early puberty and other reproductive developmental milestones.

Timing important factor in infant exposure
In just two years, a human being grows from a single cell to a laughing, crawling baby who is learning to walk and talk. The rapidly growing and changing infant has critical periods of development when even small amounts of a toxic substance can have a very serious, lifelong effect. Windows of vulnerability for brain development occur in the first two years of life. During these times, a small dose of a particular toxin may be more devastating than a much larger dose at a different or later stage. Early infancy, childhood and puberty are critical windows of vulnerability for reproductive effects from exposure to toxins.

Cancer and other immune system disorders
Cancer is the leading cause of death from disease in children. Exposure during infancy to the PBT pollutants as well as asbestos and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon benzo[a] pyrene (PAH) – products of combustion from automobiles, power plants, refineries and tobacco smoking – can cause cancer and other immune system disorders. Effects on the immune system, such as lowered disease resistance and cancer, from exposure to toxins may occur later in life.

Infant deaths
Air pollution has been associated with infant deaths. In one study, increased daily rates of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) were associated with increases of air pollution on the previous day. The toxins in the air that were related to the deaths included sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide. During their first two months of life, infants living in cities with high levels of particulate matter had mortality rates 10 percent higher than infants in less polluted cities, according to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study that involved 86 U.S. cities.

Respiratory illness, reduced lung capacity and asthma
Air pollution also has been linked to a variety of respiratory illnesses, permanent reduction in lung capacity and asthma. The number of U.S. children afflicted with asthma has increased dramatically: The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports that between 1980 and 1994, the number of children under age four afflicted with asthma grew 160 percent; and according to Western Michigan University Office of Health Promotion and Education, the number of school-age children with asthma increased 100 percent from 1980-1998. A study by the Pew Environmental Health Commission on the increasing incidence of asthma in the United States found that genetics “loads the gun” for a predisposition for asthma, but it is the environment that “pulls the trigger” on the alarming growth of this disease.

Benefits of breastfeeding outweigh exposure to toxins
Breastfeeding promotes bonding between mother and baby and helps the baby thrive. Mother’s milk gives the infant protective antibodies against disease, toxins and inhaled allergens. Unfortunately, studies show breastfeeding infants also are being exposed to mercury, dioxins, DDT and toxic fire retardants in the mothers’ milk. Research regarding environmental toxins and breastfeeding concludes that the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh exposure to environmental toxins, and more needs to be done to reduce exposure of all people to these toxins.

Much more to know about infant exposure to toxins
Science is just beginning to understand the health risks of exposure to environmental toxins early in life. Most studies look at the health effects of exposure to one toxin. Infants are exposed to many toxins, and it is likely that the combination of toxins has a more serious health effect than exposure to one. It is difficult to measure the full impact on growth, development and health when toxic exposure builds up over time. Rarely does exposure to toxins cause illness right away. The risk of illness increases as toxins accumulate in the body and interact with other toxins. The lifetime exposure to pollution is longer for infants, increasing the risk of illness each year. Even though many of the health effects of exposure to toxins are yet to be proven, Dr. Lorin recommended abiding by the precautionary principle: When an activity raises threats of harm to human health or the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause-and-effect relationships are not fully established scientifically. “It took decades to convince the public and the government of the dangers posed by DDT, tobacco, thalidomide, mad cow disease and Love Canal.”

Protecting infants from a toxic environment:

• Become aware of sources of toxic air emissions and other sources of toxic exposure: report emissions and avoid exposure.
• Eat organically grown food when you have a choice.
• Limit eating fish that are likely to be contaminated with mercury. For a more information on mercury in fish and a pocket guide to selecting healthy fish, go to www.mercuryaction.org/fish.
• Check the labels of personal care products such as soaps, lotions and shampoos to make sure you aren’t using toxic chemicals on your body.
• Avoid or reduce the use of pesticides, solvents and other toxic substances in your home and garden.
• Remove shoes before entering your home. Pesticides, mold and other toxins and allergens can be carried into your home on shoe soles.
• Take precautions during home renovations when lead in paint and in plumbing may be exposed.
• Avoid freeways and even being in cars as much as possible.
• Avoid living near freeways, incinerators and/or chemical plants and refineries.
• Minimize use of fossil fuels by driving less and choosing renewable sources of electricity when available. When buying a car, consider one of the new hybrid models that make good use of technology to significantly reduce gasoline consumption.
• Contact your national, state and local representatives and ask them to find out about environmental health hazards, and to protect all citizens’ health (You can find representatives’ contact information in the “Links” section of our website.