As I do more and more research I am amazed (not in a good way) and concerned about how vulnerable our children are to the world we live in.  We don’t even realize how many toxic chemicals our precious babies are exposed to during the first years of life and how the choices we make now can dictate the health they will have for years to come.  Try as we may to want to do everything right for them it could be the everyday things that we don’t even think about that could be harmful.  I feel naive that I never thought about toxic chemicals in my home and food before now and think about how many parents never realize how much their children can be harmed just by the pesticides they use on their lawns or the insecticides they use in their homes.  I am a cancer survivor having had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at age 25, and I still didn’t make the connections until recently. 

I then realized that even if a parent is aware of these risks and takes action at home to prevent the use of toxins around their children; they may not realize sending their kids to school can expose them to just as many chemicals.  Schools regularly use insecticides inside the building to manage pests, use pesticides outside in play areas, and may even use pressure treated wood for play structures which contains arscenic that can leach to the surface.  And all of these have been shown in studies to elevate the risk of cancer especially in young developing children.  

Here are some facts to consider:

  • According to EPA’s Guidelines for Carcinogen Risk Assessment, children receive 50% of their lifetime cancer risks in the first two years of life
  • Children with brain cancer are more likely to have been exposed to insecticides in the home
  • A study sponsored by the National Cancer Institute indicates that household and garden pesticide use can increase the risk of childhood leukemia as much as seven-fold
  • Health effects of 48 commonly used pesticides in schools: 22 are probable or possible carcinogens, 26 have been shown to cause reproductive effects, 31 damage the nervous system, 31 injure the liver or kidney, 41 are sensitizers or irritants, and 16 can cause birth defects
  • US EPA and Dow AgroSciences recently agreed to phase-out chlorpyrifos, one of the most commonly used insecticides in schools, because of its high risks to children, after allowing it to be used in schools and homes for the past 30 years

The rate of childhood cancer is increasing approximately 1% on average per year.  This is an unacceptable rate especially if we consider that some of it may be preventable with education.  Many parents still have the attitude that “we survived without helmets and car seats and we lived” and “why stress over everything, there is enough to worry about already with the world”.  Well I agree we all have too much stress already and all you have to do is watch the evening news to become overwhelmed and depressed.  And yes our generation had very few safety restrictions and most of us turned out ok…but I already know four people under the age of 35 that have had cancer and three that have auto-immune diseases just in my small group of friends so did we really turn out ok?  Can we really say for sure that eating foods laced with pesticides and hormones, playing around lawns treated with chemicals, and all the other things we were exposed to without a second thought really haven’t made a difference?  I think that ignoring these warnings are neglectful to our families…no one ever said parenting was easy right? 

So what can we do to protect our kids?  Well remember that government standards for regulating environmental hazards are sometimes inadequate, at best a bare minimum, and could be a threat to your families health.  In short I wouldn’t trust the government to tell us if something is safe for our kids because they have been wrong many times before and have special interests of their own.  So you have to take the initiative to look at what might be harmful in your home and research products that you buy. 

Eliminate all obvious causes of toxins inside and outside of the home including pesticides, insecticides, molds, and pvc plastics especially those that would be heated outside in the direct sun.  If you have a pest problem there are non toxic ways to manage them that you can try prior to using chemicals.  These would include removing sources of food and water and destroying possible shelters or breeding sites such as litter or plant debris.  For more info on natural ways to control pests visit http://www.beyondpesticides.org/alternatives/factsheets/index.htm and you can search their information by pest!  Avoid pressure treated lumber that isn’t sealed if its an area that children will play in and touch.  At school become involved and find out what pesticides are being used on lawns and in the buildings to manage pests.  Also don’t use mosquito sprays that contain deet for your children as it is a pesticide and will be absorbed through the skin.  Instead try a natural product like citronella, lemon eucalyptus, and rosemary oils. 

Maybe we don’t need to have the greenest lawn on the block especially if our children’s health is at risk.  I love living in the country where my lawn can be “rustic” and natural the way its supposed to be.  I know that my child will encounter many risks along his journey through life but at least toxic chemicals in his yard won’t be one of them.  I hope that all the organic food and lowering his exposure to toxic chemicals will ensure him a healthier and happier life for years to come.

facts from BEYOND PESTICIDES at www.beyondpesticides.org

www.theorganicmommy.org