Blog week 2
I started to write this blog about access to healthy water in the United States versus access to healthy water in a different country.(Woodruff, Axelrad, &Kyle, 2000). But instead I came across an interesting article about environmental factors (including water) and the affects it has on children in the United States. (Woodruff, Axelrad, &Kyle, 2000).
Children are affected much more than adults when it comes to environmental containments. . (Woodruff, Axelrad, &Kyle, 2000). They eat more, drink more, play harder, and are often outside more than adults. . (Woodruff, Axelrad, &Kyle, 2000). They may be more affects by the environment because their immune system is not as fully developed as adults. (Woodruff, Axelrod, &Kyle, 2000).
From the report, “America's Children and the Environment: A First View of Available Measures”, they identified, five medias for children’s exposure; outdoor air, indoor air, drinking water, food and soil. (Woodruff, Axelrod, &Kyle, 2000). Many of these factors play a role in childhood illnesses, such as asthma and cancer. (Woodruff, Axelrod, &Kyle, 2000). Outdoor and indoor pollutants (such as cigarette smoke) can lead to these illnesses. (Woodruff, Axelod, &Kyle, 2000). Based on this report, race and poverty play a significant role; it said that “non Hispanic and non white children are more likely to have high levels of lead in their blood.”(Woodruff, Axelrod, &Kyle, 2000).
Second hand smoke can lead to lower respiratory tract infections, bronchitis, fluid in the middle ear, asthma, and SIDS, just to name a few. (Woodruff, Axelrod, &Kyle, 2000). Younger children who are exposed to second hand smoke are affected more so than older children. (Woodruff, Axelrod, &Kyle, 2000). Although, my beliefs, second hand smoke is bad, no matter how old you are if you’re an adult or a child.
This report is very interesting. When dealing with children it has many interesting facts that I knew about, but didn’t really think about. I took a lot of it for granted, because I live in the United States, we are not a 3rd world country, and in to my assumptions we are more environmentally secure. But this is not the case. The United States has a lot of environmental containments, just as other countries do. I think we are somewhat more aware of it, but they are still there, and I believe the more that one is educated about it, the better off our children will be.
References:
Woodruff, T. J., Axelrod, D. A., & Kyle, A. D. (2000). America's Children and the Environment: A First View of Available Measures . U.S. EPA National Service Center for Environmental Publications, 1, 1-86. Retrieved December 15, 2011, from Eric.com
Wow, there certainly are lots of things that we as adults probably don't always realize how they affect young children. Environmental pollutants in the US really seem to have a huge impact on child health, as the US is a highly developed nation. Education would help us to better understand the health concerns that are arising now too often.
ReplyDelete