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Children's
Health and Pesticides
Pests
pose a serious health and safety risk to children
Because of their behavior, children are naturally exposed to the
health and safety risks posed by pests - but at a higher rate than
adults. Whether at home or at school, young children spend hours
close to the ground where they may be exposed to insects, rodents
and poisonous plants. In addition, children tend to put objects
in their mouths, providing another avenue for exposure to pests
and their droppings.
Consider
these statistics:
- Rodents
are responsible for, or implicated in, the spread of numerous
diseases, including Hantavirus, plague, acute food poisoning,
rat-bite fever and typhus.
- Lyme
disease, transmitted to humans by the deer tick, infects thousands
of Americans annually - and the numbers are rising.
- Cockroach
droppings trigger asthma. And these prolific pests transmit a
variety of digestive tract disorders, including food poisoning,
dysentery and diarrhea.
- Mosquitoes
are prime carriers of several types of encephalitis, a devastating
illness that attacks the central nervous system of humans.
Concerns
about pesticides
Despite the health risks posed by these pests, many Americans are
concerned about the use of pesticides specifically designed to control
them. Part of the reason, for this concern, says former U.S. Surgeon
General Dr. C. Everett Koop, is "the public doesn't have a
very good grasp of the relationship between the dose of a toxic
substance and its risk in human beings."
To
put it into perspective, he says, "The risk of being killed
by an automobile (one in 6,000) is much greater than any hypothetical
risk of a pesticide."
Pesticides
are critical for protecting children's health
When used in a responsible pest management program, pesticides can
help reduce the health and safety risks posed by pests in the home
and school environment. Some individuals and groups advocate banning
the use of pesticides, thus jeopardizing the health of our children.
Pesticides must be kept as a viable tool to protect against the
bites, stings and diseases caused by pests. If pesticide use is
banned, schools and homes will not be safer.
Dr.
Jerome Goddard, clinical assistant professor for preventative medicine,
University of Mississippi Medical School notes: "The benefits
of judicious use of pesticides far outweigh any risks and help slow
down the threat [of disease-carrying vermin and pests] to public
health. Consumers do not need to fear being around pesticides when
products are used according to the label."
RISE
is a resource
RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment) promotes the
safe and responsible use of all specialty pesticides. In addition,
the organization encourages adoption of integrated pest management
programs. Such programs manage pests by managing their environment
and use a variety of tools, such as removing food and water sources,
closing off entry points into buildings, setting traps in areas
where pests have been seen and the carefully targeted use of pesticides.
For more information about pesticides and children's health please
contact RISE at 202-872-3860 or visit www.pestfacts.org
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Source
RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment)
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