Children are at greater risk than adults from certain kinds of exposures to hazardous substances emitted from waste sites and emergency events. They are more likely to be exposed because they play outdoors and they often bring food into contaminated areas. They are shorter than adults, which means they breathe dust, soil, and heavy vapors close to the ground.
Children are also smaller, resulting in higher doses of chemical exposure per body weight.
The developing body systems of children can sustain permanent damage if toxic exposures occur during critical growth stages. Most importantly, children depend completely on adults for risk identification and management decisions, housing decisions, and access to medical care. These guidance levels are based on the estimated safe and adequate dietary intake levels established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council. The concentration of manganese in this water is over 60 times greater than this level. Until the situation is remedied, the family should use bottled water for drinking and cooking.