In a report released just in time for Father’s Day, the Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health and Environment urged both parents to be aware of the increased risks from environmental pollutants to boys so they can take precautions to help prevent health problems. As Dr. Lynn Marshall of the Ontario College of Family Physicians put it, “All children are at risk from exposure to environmental hazards, but boys appear to be at greater risk.” The study indicates that brain development is of particular concern, citing the fact that boys are 4 times more likely to suffer from autism or ADHD; but it goes on to point out that boys are still faring worse than girls when it comes to health issues such as asthma, cancer, learning and behavioural problems and birth defects, and that seems to be the case even while they are both still in the womb. That’s because "Boys are affected differently by various hormones, and therefore may be affected differently by various hormone-disrupting chemicals in the environment," according to Dr. Marshall, who also pointed out that some environmental toxins may be more harmful in small concentrations than had been previously thought. Of particular concern are endocrine disrupting properties of plastics; pthalates which are used in softening them; antiseptics used in food can liners; bisphenol-a, an industrial chemical used primarily to make plastic and the usual heavy metals like lead and mercury. The report urged both parents and the rest of society to take precautions ensuring that these aren’t inadvertently brought home from the workplace on clothing, etc, where they can then have damaging long-term implications for both sons and daughters. After all, another relative who works with these types of chemicals but lives with the family can have just as much impact on what comes into the household as the parents themselves…

via:: People's Daily

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