Environmental hazards affect children differently than adults.
Their bodies are not fully mature, and therefore may not be capable of detoxifying certain harmful compounds. That children are uniquely vulnerable to environmental hazards is well established in the scientific literature. This higher rate of intake means that children will receive higher doses of whatever contaminants are present in the air, water, or food. In addition, infants have a relatively greater surface area of skin than adults, thereby increasing their potential dermal absorption of certain compounds. Differential Intake Children ages one through five eat three to four times more per unit of body weight than the average adult American.