Before you had your baby, you may not have paid too much attention to the state of the environment or wondered how the environment affected your health. But once the baby came along, things changed and you suddenly started taking an interest in the environment. Babies today are exposed to more environmental pollutants than any previous generation in history and they are more susceptible than adults to adverse health effects of these toxins.
There are thousands of chemicals that have been used in commerce since the 1960s and more than half have been used in the production of consumer products and food stuff. Most of them have been invented in the last few years. The scary part is we don’t have much information about these products, much less what it does to our and our children’s bodies.
Babies breathe at faster rates than adults, so they take in more air and, hence, are more exposed. Since they are smaller, they are closer to the ground and again this means more exposure.
— Compared to an adult, babies drink more fluid so if water is contaminated, then they take in more toxins.
— For their body weight, babies eat more food.
-Children put all kinds of things in their mouth and absorption from the baby’s gut is more than an adult, so if there is lead in a toy the absorption is more.
— As babies spend more time on the floor crawling and playing, they are more exposed as these particles settle on the floor.
— Exposure of toxins to foetuses, babies and young children can permanently interfere with organ development.
Pollutants lurk everywhere. It’s important to know which ones are found more commonly and where, so we can protect our children better.
Food: Antibiotics, additives, hormones, arsenic in rice, methyl mercury
Water: Industrial chemicals, lead from pipes, methyl mercury
Home: Phthalates, bisphenol A, lead, arsenic
Air: Carbon monoxide, second-hand smoke, industrial chemicals, electromagnetic fields
These pollutants have been known to be carcinogens and teratogens that affect the growing foetus; neurotoxins that affect the brain, and endocrine disruptors where they mimic the body’s hormones.
Certain diseases like asthma, leukaemia, male reproductive system problems such as testicular cancer and neuro-developmental problems such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, dyslexia and obesity have been linked to environmental causes.
Give up smoking
— Run your tap for two minutes in the morning to remove the lead that has stagnated. RO removes toxins and fluoride, but it removes a lot of other minerals that are essential.
— Use less canned food opt for fresh food
— Use steel or glass containers for storing food.
— Do not microwave poly-carbonate plastic food containers as the BPA may break down with repeated use
— Eat six ounces of tuna or large fish per week as they contain more mercury than smaller fish
— Buy fruit and vegetables which are in season, and scrub them well before consuming to try and remove some of the pesticides
— If you have a small garden, try and grow your own greens which will have less pesticides
— Peel the outer leaves of leafy vegetables like lettuce and cabbage
— Peel whatever vegetable you can, though this does remove the fibre
— Don’t do routine pest control at home when you have a baby, do it only when you have pests
— It’s better you set traps for pests like rats
— Limit the time you baby talks or listens on the phone. Try and use hands free
— Keep babies away from small appliances
This list is not to frighten young parents but to create awareness. Poor air quality has a direct link to asthma, and this is more so if there is a genetic susceptibility such as a parent suffering from asthma.
(Dr Saroja Balan is consultant neonatologist and paediatrician at the Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi. Her year-long column ends today.)
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