Interior Toxins and Child Developent

Why do some people get heart disease, diabetes, asthma, are diagnosed with autism, or develop cancer?  Research has proven that chemical exposures during child development may contribute to health problems that arise later in life.

Many of these toxins are environmental and are obvious.  Prolonged exposure to air pollution in the urban environment is one.  Early exposure in infants or prenatal  in the way of gasoline or other fossil fuels will affect children's cognitive development. Children that have had this exposure have scored 4 points lower on cognitive tests at the age of five.  The Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health have found this evidence in many tests.  Prenatal exposure also gives these children the added dimension of scoring higher on tests of anxiety, depression and attention problems at the age of five.

Endocrine Disruptors found in fire retardant chemicals applied to every sofa manufactured in the US have been found to cause even more problems.  They mimic hormones and interfere with the function of the body's hormones.  They typically mimic estrogen are found in these fire retardant chemicals used to conform to the California flame retardancy acts of the 70's requiring all upholstery to be able to be exposed to open flame for 12 seconds and not burst into flame.  These chemicals are particularly dangerous as they alter the critical hormonal balances required for proper health and development.

These disruptors also increase aggressive behavior, early onset sexual maturation, changes in mammary gland development, and a decrease in testosterone levels and sperm production.

These disruptors found in flame retardant chemicals are leached into skin at contact.  Especially dangerous to babies and children, they have been found to cause cancerous tumors, and reproductive and neurological development.

Another alarming affect of these chemicals in the early onset of sexual maturity and the link that proves that early puberty can predispose a girl to more risk of breast cancer developing.  The mammary gland ( the milk producing structure of the breast) is uniquely sensitive to the effects of the toxic chemicals.  One chemical that is especially prone to do this is PFOA which is used in stain treatments on furniture.  Teflon, Stainmaster, Scotchguard, and other stain reducers create a sticky application that repels soil and offers chemical exposure that actually sticks to the person.  This chemical is transferred easily air born in the environment to becoming part of the water supply and ingested into children and babies.  Babies are open mouth, inhaling this treatment into their lungs on upholstered furniture, without the benefit of the filter of the nose.