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The Problem

Children are more at risk from many environmental threats than adults in three ways:

  1. Because children’s systems are still developing, they are more susceptible to environmental threats.

    -Children move through several stages of rapid growth and development. Exposure to toxic substances can affect fetal, infant, and childhood growth, impairing development of their nervous systems, and causing abnormal development because of hormonal or immunologic effects.
  2. Because children eat proportionately more food, drink more fluids, breathe more air, and play outside more, they are more exposed to environmental threats.

    - Children eat more calories, drink more water and breathe more air per pound of body weight than adults do, and thus may ingest more pollutants per pound of body weight. They eat far larger amounts of certain foods for their body weight than adults. Their immature skin and body tissues risk greater damage from the sun, and can more readily absorb many harmful substances.
  3. Because children are least able to protect themselves, their behavior exposes them to different environmental hazards.

    - Children’s natural curiosity and tendency to explore leaves them open to health risks adults can more easily avoid. When young children crawl on the ground or the floor, or play outside, they are more exposed to potentially contaminated dust and soil, lead paint, household chemicals, garden chemicals, and other potentially hazardous substances.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency