Protecting Teenagers From Environmental Health Risks

1. Protecting Teenagers From Environmental Health Risks

2. Why is a teen at greater risk? • A teen’s body is still growing inside. • A teen takes in more air, liquids and food per pound than an adult. • A teen’s behavior exposes her to different environmental threats.

3. A teen’s changing body - • A teen’s nervous, respiratory, reproductive and immune systems are not fully developed. • Exposure to environmental risks can affect development. • A teen is more vulnerable to toxins and microbes than an adult.

4. What a teen takes in - • A growing teen breathes in more air per pound of weight than you. • A teen takes in more food and liquid per pound of weight than you. • This causes a teen to ingest more pollutants, making him/her more susceptible to toxins.

5. A teen’s behavior - • A teen may spend more time on the ground or floor such as watching TV or playing outside, exposing him/her to toxins in dust, soil & carpet. • He/She may spend more time outdoors, which increases her exposure to outdoor pollutants.

6. Lead Poisoning Effects • Lead poisoning can cause: • Decreases in IQ • Reading and learning disabilities • Impaired hearing • Hyperactivity • Decreased growth • Brain damage

7. How to protect yourself? • Test homes built before 1978. • Test blood lead level. • Keep your home clean and dust free.

8. How to protect yourself? • Have your water tested for lead. • Do not use hot water for drinking or formula. • Run the cold water 60 seconds before use. • Eat iron and calcium rich foods.

9. Pesticides • Pesticides are used to prevent & kill pests. • Anyone is at risk if he/she crawls and plays on pesticide sprayed floors and lawns. • Anyone may put things that have touched pesticides into his/her mouth. • Anyone may eat fresh produce that has been sprayed for pests.

10. Effects of Pesticides • Poisoning • Birth defects • Nerve damage • Cancer • Allergies and asthma

11. How to protect yourself? • Try something besides pesticides before using chemicals. • Store pesticides in the original container in a locked cabinet or shed. • Read the label and follow directions. • Buy limited quantities & give away excess. • Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly.

12. Toxic Household Chemicals • Toxic household chemicals include normal items such as bleach, lighter fluid, oven cleaner, batteries, mercury thermometers, shoe polish and gasoline. • A child is poisoned much faster than a teen if he eats or drinks these household chemicals.

13. Effects of Toxic Household Chemicals • Toxic substances may: • Burn skin or eyes. • Make a child sick to his/her stomach. • Cause itching. • Long-term exposure can: • Slow a child’s growth. • Damage his/her lungs. • Cause cancer.

14. How to have safe house? • Try safe products such as a plunger or vinegar before you use chemicals. • Store chemicals out of the reach

15. How to protect yourself? • Follow label directions. • Keep the Poison Control Center number near the telephone. • Never burn or dump leftover chemicals on your property.

16. Polluted Water & Contaminated Fish • Polluted water poses risks to a child when he/she drinks unfiltered water or swims in polluted lakes or streams. • Infants are most at risk because: • They drink more fluids per pound of weight. • Their immune system is still developing. • Freshwater fish may be contaminated with mercury, which can be harmful.

17. Effects on a Child • Bacteria and viruses may cause upset stomach, diarrhea or more serious illness. • Nitrates in drinking water affect an your ability to absorb oxygen. • Eating fish contaminated with mercury or PCBs may threaten a child’s developing nervous system.

18. How to protect yourself? • Have your well tested once a year. • Keep chemicals away from the well. • Read carefully the annual water quality report from your public water system.

19. How to protect a child • Properly maintain home water treatment systems. • Do not eat freshwater fish if there is an advisory. • Always follow swim advisories.

20. Carbon Monoxide • Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, tasteless, odorless gas from combustion appliances and car exhaust. • Appliances that are not hooked up or working right may produce CO. • Children are at higher risk from CO. • Fetuses are especially at risk.

21. Headache Dizziness Weakness Nausea Vomiting Coma Possible death Effects of Carbon Monoxide

22. How to protect yourself? • Have a professional check furnace flues, fuel-burning appliances and chimneys once a year. • Do not use burners or gas ovens for heat.

23. How to protect yourself? • Do not use unvented gas or kerosene heaters where someone sleeps. • Do not idle cars or mowers in the garage. • Install a carbon monoxide alarm near a child’s room.

24. Asbestos • Asbestos fibers are dangerous when breathed in. • Asbestos fibers cannot be removed from the lungs once they are inhaled. • Asbestos was used in manufactured goods until the 1970’s. • Asbestos is often found in buildings from 30 years ago or older.

25. Effects of Asbestos • Known to cause cancer. • Continuing exposure increases the risk of developing cancer.

26. How to protect yourself? • Consider having your home tested if it was built before 1980 and you suspect asbestos. • Hire a certified contractor to remove deteriorating asbestos from your home. • Do not allow a child to play in areas where you suspect asbestos is present. • Talk to school officials to find out if there is asbestos in your school.

27. Homes

28. Asthma from Air Pollution • Asthma is the leading chronic illness in children in the United States. • Outdoor air pollution triggers include ozone, plant pollen, and mold spores. • Indoor air pollution triggers include: • Pets kept indoors. • Damp basements. • Cockroaches.

29. Effects of Asthma • Asthma causes airways to narrow which makes it more difficult to breathe. • Asthma deaths are on the rise in children. • Exposure to air pollutants can trigger or worsen asthma attacks.

30. How to protect yourself? • Stay indoors during high pollution level alerts or high pollen count alerts. • Clean carpets and floors often. • Keep animals outside or out of bedrooms.

31. How to protect yourself? • Vent combustion appliances outdoors. • Control moisture in your home. • Ban smoking in the home and car.

32. Radon • Radon gas is made when radium decays. • It enters the home though cracks in the foundation or porous blocks or walls. • Radon levels vary. • It is estimated that 17 to 25% of Kentucky homes have high radon levels.

33. Effects of Radon • Inhalation of radon causes increased rates of lung cancer. • Children who play in basements are most at risk because levels are usually higher there. • Cigarette smoking multiplies the risk of radon-induced lung cancer.

34. How to protect yourself? • Test your home with a home test kit or have it tested by a professional. • Seal cracks in the foundation and increase ventilation. • Ban smoking in the home if radon is found. • Do not let children spend much time in the basement.

35. Tobacco Smoke • Tobacco smoke can impact the health of everyone exposed, especially children. • Smoking indoors or in cars increases the level of exposure.

36. Effects of Tobacco Smoke • Frequent exposure increases a child’s risk for: • Acute or chronic respiratory conditions. • Bronchitis or pneumonia. • Ear infections. • Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

37. How to protect a child • Do not smoke. • If someone smokes indoors, open windows or use exhaust fans. • Ask your friends who smoke not to do it around you.

38. Getting Too Much Sun • Too much exposure to the sun may be dangerous. • Severe sunburns increase the risk of developing skin cancer later in life. • A fair skinned child with red or blond hair and blue, green or gray eyes is most at risk.

39. Effects of Too Much Sun • Increased risk of skin cancer later in life. • Damage to a child’s immune system. • Eye damage and an increased risk of cataracts.

40. How to protect yourself? • Keep infants under 6 months of age out of the sun. • Use sunscreen • Limit your time in the midday sun. • Wear good sunglasses and a hat with a broad brim. • Be aware of dangers of tanning beds.

41. End of slide show