Are children at greater risk from
pesticide poisoning than adults?
(You decide)
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Children absorb greater concentrations of pesticides (poisons) per pound
of body weight through inhalation, ingestion and contact with the skin.
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Children are more likely to play on treated floors and grounds. Unwashed
hands often find their way to the mouth or to unwrapped snacks.
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Because many pesticides (poisons) are heavier than air, children’s breathing
areas are likely to have higher pesticide (poison) concentrations.
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Children may not read, understand or pay attention to warning signs.
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A child’s biology is different. Their immune system is less developed and
may be less protective.
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Children are extremely vulnerable to classes of synthetic pesticides (poisons)
that mimic naturally occurring hormones or enzymes.
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Developing cells are more easily damaged than cells that have completed
development. During the rapid growth period of childhood, cells divide
very quickly, making it more likely that a cellular mutation will be reproduced,
thus initiating cancer.
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Because they are younger, children have a longer life span ahead of them
for chemically induced health problems to progress.
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Small doses of neurotoxins can drastically impair the learning process
in children.
When poison tolerances are
tested, the suseptibilities of children