There are more than 80,000 industrial chemicals in widespread use across the US. Around 3,000 of these chemicals are in products that we come into contact with every day, including clothing, carpets, toys, cleaning products and cosmetics. But is it safe to be so frequently exposed to these chemicals?
Past studies have associated chemical exposure with negative impacts on health. In 2012, Medical News Today reported on a study suggesting that routine exposure to toxic chemicals may increase the risk of breast cancer, although this link has never been confirmed.
However, there is one health issue as a result of chemical exposure that is now widely accepted in the medical world - its effect on child brain development.
In 1993, a report from the National Research Council titled Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children first suggested that children, specifically the developing fetus, are significantly more sensitive to the toxic effects of chemicals than adults.
Numerous studies have supported this discovery. Last year, Medical News Today reported on a study from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in the UK, suggesting that pregnant women need to be aware of unintentional chemical exposure, as it may impact the health of their unborn baby.
But how exactly can chemical exposure affect a child's development?
Toxic substances interfere with the brain's natural functions
Harmful chemicals can be absorbed into our bodies through our skin, or we can ingest them through air, food and drinks.
The US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) states that pregnant women, children and elderly individuals are more sensitive to chemical exposure.
According to a 2006 study from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, some toxic chemicals can interfere with the natural function of genes, proteins and other small molecules in the brain.
This interference can lead to the onset of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cerebral palsy and dyslexia.
The paper states that the immature brain is much more vulnerable to toxic exposure than the brain of an adult.
Past studies have associated chemical exposure with negative impacts on health. In 2012, Medical News Today reported on a study suggesting that routine exposure to toxic chemicals may increase the risk of breast cancer, although this link has never been confirmed.
However, there is one health issue as a result of chemical exposure that is now widely accepted in the medical world - its effect on child brain development.
In 1993, a report from the National Research Council titled Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children first suggested that children, specifically the developing fetus, are significantly more sensitive to the toxic effects of chemicals than adults.
Numerous studies have supported this discovery. Last year, Medical News Today reported on a study from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in the UK, suggesting that pregnant women need to be aware of unintentional chemical exposure, as it may impact the health of their unborn baby.
But how exactly can chemical exposure affect a child's development?
Toxic substances interfere with the brain's natural functions
Harmful chemicals can be absorbed into our bodies through our skin, or we can ingest them through air, food and drinks.
The US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) states that pregnant women, children and elderly individuals are more sensitive to chemical exposure.
According to a 2006 study from the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, some toxic chemicals can interfere with the natural function of genes, proteins and other small molecules in the brain.
This interference can lead to the onset of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cerebral palsy and dyslexia.
The paper states that the immature brain is much more vulnerable to toxic exposure than the brain of an adult.
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