Health Impact of IAQ on Children
Common household products like bedding, furniture, flooring, paint and even cleaning supplies are items that can release potentially harmful chemicals, known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air of a home.
These chemicals are harmful for the whole family but especially to infants and young children. Babies are more vulnerable to experiencing adverse health effects from air pollutants because they inhale a greater amount of air relative to their body size, are closer to the ground and breathe more rapidly than adults do. Consequently, they are at an increased risk of suffering from many short- and long-term health problems associated with chemical exposure, including asthma, allergies, developmental disorders and cancer.
Facts You Should Know
Children’s organs and respiratory, immune and neurological systems are still developing, making them susceptible to the negative effects of poor indoor air quality.
Children are much closer to the ground, and as a result, breathe in more of the heavier airborne chemicals than do adults.
Infants and young children breathe through their mouths, more so than do adults, which increases their risk of pulmonary exposure to particulates and fibers that would otherwise be filtered out in the nose.
Children have a higher heart rate than adults, which allows substances that are absorbed into the blood to permeate tissues faster.
Nurture the Air They Breathe
Look for UL’s GREENGUARD mark on products such as paint, cribs, mattresses and furniture. The mark indicates that a sample of the product has been shown to emit fewer chemical emissions. Fewer chemical emissions can lead to improved indoor air quality.
Find out more about GREENGUARD certified products here: www.SafetyAtHome.com/productguide
