Your child has been born, or will be born, “pre-contaminated” with hundreds of brain-damaging chemicals

Every child born today is “pre-contaminated” with hundreds of chemicals because chemical pollution has reached unprecedented levels. Women planning to get pregnant, those already expecting and mothers with young children must all be aware that these chemicals interfere with brain development. The warning comes from Professor Barbara Demeneix, who is a biologist and endocrinologist at the Paris Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle. She is backed up with similar dire messages from the World Health Organisation.

“Some (chemicals) including the mixtures to which we are all exposed, have been associated with not only IQ loss (leading to learning disabilities) but also neurocognitive and behavourial disabilities, including autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit and hyperactivity. These disorders are increasingly common with rising trends noted worldwide,” Prof Demeneix, writes in the Financial Times. “Chemical contamination of amniotic fluid is affecting brain development of future generations… The early stages of brain development can be equated with a one-way street. It is impossible to press replay and start the process again. Brain development is the key to a child’s future intellectual capacity, with adequate neurocognitive function in children being an important determinant for learning abilities, educational attainment, quality of life and adult health.”

The World Health Organisation has published a series of warnings about children affected by air and other forms of pollution. “Six reasons to protect babies and children from air pollution:

• “Their lungs are still developing, and air pollution can interfere with this biological process.
• “Their bodies are less able to metabolise, detoxify, and excrete toxicants in air pollution.
• “Their brains are still developing, and neurotoxic compounds in air pollution can affect children’s cognitive development.
• “They inhale more air per unit of body weight than adults.
• “They are more active and therefore breathe in more air pollution.
• “Babies born to women who we exposed to air pollution during pregnancy are more likely to be premature and underweight.”

The WHO warns parents not to smoke near children, use cleaner fuels and technologies to cook, always prepare food in a well-ventilated area, and don’t burn candles or use air fresheners.

On protecting your child outdoors or yourself and the baby if pregnant, the WHO says stop burning household and agricultural waste, reduce exposure to vehicle exhaust by avoiding busy roads, keep kids healthy with diet, immunisations and exercise, monitor air pollution levels where you live and raise awareness of air pollution’s dangers.

Losing Our Minds: How Environmental Pollution Impairs Human Intelligence and Mental Health, Barbara Demeneix, Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199917518