It's up to us to do something about it. What science does know is that children are especially vulnerable to their environments. Schettler and others have pointed to the differences in how children take in environmental toxins. Because they're still developing, they absorb a greater proportion of many substances in their intestinal tract or lungs. For instance, children absorb half of the lead they swallow, adults one-tenth.
Children take in more air, food and water per pound of body weight.
Diseases like asthma, cystic fibrosis, learning disabilities, attention deficits, and behavior disorders are on the rise. Brain tumors in children have increased 31 percent. While environmental agents are not necessarily the sole cause of those health conditions, it's hard to ignore evidence that they play a role. Air pollution clearly worsens and triggers asthma and respiratory conditions. Metals, solvents, pesticides and other neurotoxins affect the central nervous system.