Over the past four decades, the prevalence of autism, asthma, ADHD, obesity, diabetes, and birth defects has increased substantially among children throughout the world. Not coincidentally, more than 80,000 new chemicals have been developed and released into the global environment during this same period. Today the World Health Organization attributes more than one third of all childhood deaths to environmental causes. Children's environmental health is a new and growing discipline that responds to the expanding threat of chemical and environmental hazards to child health. Amid mounting evidence that children are especially sensitive to their environment-and that exposure during their developmental "windows of susceptibility" can trigger cellular changes that lead to lifelong disease and disability-there is a compelling need for continued scientific study of the relationship between children's health and their environment. Children and Environmental Toxins: What Everyone Needs to Know offers an authoritative yet accessible question-and-answer guide to the "silent spring" of threats in our collective backyard. As the burdens of environmental toxins and chronic disease continue to defy borders, this book will be an invaluable addition to the conspicuously sparse literature in this area.

A must-have Organic Style title for parents and parents-to-be

All parents want what's best for their children, and protecting them from the toxic materials that surround us -- such as lead, asbestos, PCBs, and pesticides -- is, of course, incredibly pertinent to their well-being. Whether choosing where to buy a home, deciding which toys to buy, or just being informed about the safety of a child's school, Raising Healthy Children in a Toxic World provides parents with necessary information and recommended solutions.

Tips for parents include:
-- Test peeling and chipping paint for lead content.
-- Remove wall-to-wall carpets and replace with scatter rugs you can wash.
-- Limit the possibility of indoor mold and pests by setting a "no food or drink" rule in rooms that are carpeted.
-- No soap at all is just fine for bathing.
-- Instead of commercial baby wipes, use a cotton cloth dipped in water and baking soda.

Written by pediatricians who have done extensive research on pesticides and lead poisoning, this user-friendly volume includes checklists to help readers identify toxins in and around the home and an extensive list of resources for locating more natural products. Each solution is conveniently rated for its importance and difficulty.

Over the past four decades, the prevalence of autism, asthma, ADHD, obesity, diabetes, and birth defects has increased substantially among children throughout the world. Not coincidentally, more than 80,000 new chemicals have been developed and released into the global environment during this same period. Today the World Health Organization attributes more than one third of all childhood deaths to environmental causes. Children's environmental health is a new and growing discipline that responds to the expanding threat of chemical and environmental hazards to child health. Amid mounting evidence that children are especially sensitive to their environment-and that exposure during their developmental "windows of susceptibility" can trigger cellular changes that lead to lifelong disease and disability-there is a compelling need for continued scientific study of the relationship between children's health and their environment. Children and Environmental Toxins: What Everyone Needs to Know (R) offers an authoritative yet accessible question-and-answer guide to the "silent spring" of threats in our collective backyard. As the burdens of environmental toxins and chronic disease continue to defy borders, this book will be an invaluable addition to the conspicuously sparse literature in this area.