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How You Can Protect Your Child From Pesticide Exposure

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With the growth in popularity of natural food, there is an inevitable countermovement of naysayers who claim that pesticides, despite being toxic, are not dangerous to humans — despite the lack of investigation into the long-term consequences of exposure. As a parent, this discussion can make the already turbulent nature of raising a child even more difficult.

Pesticides are practiced in many goods and may influence children’s health in a different ways. But, there are something parents can do to protect their kids from pesticides where they live.

The American Academy of Pediatrics policy report, Pesticide Exposure in Children highlights some of the important health matters linked to pesticide exposure - especially prenatal exposure. Pesticide exposure while pregnancy may lead to an grown risk of birth deformities, low birth weight, and fetal death. Exposure in infancy has been linked to attention and learning difficulties, as well as cancer.

Kids at Higher Risk for Exposure

Kids are at greater risk for health impacts from exposure to pesticides than adults because their inner organs are still growing and developing. They can come into connection with pesticides stored or used in their homes, yards, child care clubs, schools, parks, or on pets. Young kids, as parents know, prefer to put their hands in their mouth. They also crawl and act on floors, grass, or in places that might contain pesticides. Because pesticides are still in many areas in our environment, a child’s amount of danger can add up fast.

Pesticides are still found in:

  • Lawn and garden care outcomes
  • Pet goods
  • Food
  • Insect repellents
  • Rodent control products

These exposures regularly do not lead to instant poisoning signs. But, investigations suggest that exposure may influence healthy child growth.

Pesticide Poisoning

Poisons are received through the skin, by the mouth, or by breathing sprays, dusts, or vapors. You or your kids can be poisoned if you apply or are already during application of the chemical. Also, if you touch infected grass, shoes, clothing, lawn furniture, etc., or put contaminated things or fingers in the mouth.

In current years, goods with some highly toxic pesticide elements have been removed from stores. And while more guidance on pesticides and better packaging have improved, thousands of cases of pesticide poisonings are still published to US Pest Control NYC Centers every year.

Symptoms of pesticide poisoning:

The symptoms of pesticide poisoning may seem like the flu. If your kid shows any of the next signs after coming in contact with a pesticide, call the Poison Control Centers general hotline phone number, 1(800)222-1222.

  • Skin rashes
  • Eye burning
  • Headaches
  • Dizziness/Weakness
  • Muscle twitching
  • Difficulty breathing

Suggestions to Reduce Your Child's Risks of Pesticide Poisoning:

Reducing your child’s danger to pesticides is not tricky, so start now!

  • Clean and scrub fruits and veggies under running water. This can assist reduce any evidence of pesticides that remain on the surface, advises the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  • Store elements safely to decrease the risks for kids. Keep these conventional household pesticides out of children's reach and nevermore put toxic products in boxes that could be mistaken for food or drink:
    • Bug repellents
    • Rat and other rodent poisons
    • Weed killers
    • Flea and tick shampoos, cosmetics and dips for pets
    • Swimming pool elements
    • Bath and kitchen disinfectants and sanitizers - including bleach
    • Products used to remove mold or mildew
    • Roach sprays and baits
  • Reduce danger to pesticides in foods. Natural produce has been found to have fewer pesticides and a possibly lower risk of exposure to drug-resistant bacteria. But, the most crucial thing for kids is to eat a wide variety of food, whether it's right or organic. See the AAP clinical report, Organic Foods: Health and Environmental Advantages and Disadvantages, for more knowledge.
  • Read pesticide information first. Watch the directions as they are written on the label ere using goods. For instance, pesticides you use to control insects and ticks on your pets can be transferred to your kids. Preserve your pets and kids by carefully following the label regulations and precautions.
  • Kids should not engage in the application of fertilizer. Children should stay off the lawn after a synthetic fertilizer has been applied until it's been exposed to at least a quarter inch of rain or a good watering. Then, wait at least 24 hours ere you allow children to play on the lawn.
  • Do not handle lindane on kids. Speak with your child's pediatrician about head lice controller without pesticides.
  • If you operate with pesticides, be sure you don't "take them home" on your things and shoes. Try to replace clothes before coming home and remove and store shoes outdoor.
  • Work with institutions and government agencies to promote the use of products with the least-toxic pesticides. Support community "right-to-know" ideas when pesticide spraying happens in public areas.

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