Personal Habits
A variety of different activities on the part of the child or other
household members may put children at risk of exposure to environmental
contaminants. The child’s developmental stage will determine when
specific questions are best asked.
Are there people who smoke in the home?
- Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is the single most important
determinant of indoor air quality and can be a significant hazardous
exposure to children. Children breathe in more air relative to
their body weight and their developing, immature lungs are more
vulnerable to the effects of pollutants in air. Children with
pre-existing asthma are especially susceptible to the effects
of ETS.
Are there pets in the home?
- Pets, such as cats, dogs and birds, can be a source of allergens
that will affect the respiratory health of some individuals. It
is believed that allergens (i.e., dander, saliva and urine) from
furry and feathered pets and, in the case of birds, dust mites
that can collect in their feathers, are important as initiators
of childhood asthma.9 These allergens
may also exacerbate asthma or trigger asthmatic episodes.
Are there indicators concerning the nutritional status of child?
- Deficiencies in certain elements such as ascorbic acid, calcium,
zinc, iron or phosphorus appear to predispose children to greater
exposure to lead, as these deficiencies alter or enhance the absorption
of lead.10,11 Irregular food
intake and high dietary fat intake also appear to influence lead
toxicity.12 Poor nutrition in general
will also alter immune system functioning and may make children
less resistant to infectious organisms that contaminate food or
water.
Are there exposures from specific items in the individual’s diet?
- For example, do family members regularly catch and eat sport
fish? Recently, because of concerns regarding methylmercury levels
in fish caught from inland waters, the Ontario Ministry of the
Environment issued an advisory. The advisory cautions women of
childbearing age and children under 15 to eat only those fish
that are deemed least contaminated according to the Guide
to Eating Ontario Sport Fish.
Do family members eat produce from home gardens?
- Foods from home gardens may become contaminated by drift from
pesticide spraying. Garden produce may also take up persistent
contaminants such as lead, PCBs or dioxins that are found in soil.
This does not mean that all home-grown produce will carry contaminants,
but that care must be taken to avoid contamination if this is
a potential problem. If families participate in "pick your
own" activities, unless they can be sure that the produce
is organically grown, they would be well advised to wash and/or
peel fruits and vegetables before giving them to children.
Do parents always wash and/or peel fruit given to babies and young
children?
- In Canada, routine monitoring for pesticide residue levels has
demonstrated that only a small percentage of both domestic (1.2%)
and imported (~2%) produce typically contains pesticide residues
that exceed those "allowable" by government standards.13
However, there is still considerable uncertainty surrounding the
impact of cumulative exposure to multiple sources of such admittedly
minute amounts in young children with sensitive systems and over
the course of a lifetime. As such, many physicians and environmental
health specialists have called for stricter
regulations and advise that the public might take precautionary
measures when giving children fresh produce or they may choose
to purchase organically grown fruits and vegetables.
Does the child engage in pica?
- Pica is the tendency in children (and adults) to eat soil or
other non-food items. It is fairly common in infants and toddlers
who explore their environments orally to a much greater degree
than older children. Eating dirt may mean that a child is exposed
to higher concentrations of lead or other contaminants depending
on the levels in soil.14
Does the child exhibit a high degree of hand-to-mouth behaviour?
- Children who suck their thumbs or bite their nails increase
their exposure to contaminants that they may come in contact with
in their environment. This is especially so in the case of exposure
to lead, which may come via soil or dust, and pesticides, which
can linger on absorbent surfaces in the home.
Is the child adequately protected from direct sun exposure?
- Do parents ensure that children have a high SPF sunblock and
that they wear a T-shirt, hat and sunglasses to prevent excessive
exposure to ultraviolet radiation? Research has demonstrated that
sun exposure that occurs during a person’s childhood and adolescence
(which represents about 80% of their lifetime exposure) is the
greatest risk factor for developing skin
malignancies later in life.
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