Children are exposed to a wide range of chemicals around the home, everything from cleaning agents to pest control sprays. Many of these chemicals are ingested and residues are often found on clothes and skin. (Photo: CC0, public domain)Pesticides and herbicides control pests and weeds, but new analysis suggests they also pose a significant threat to the health of young children. Host Steve Curwood and the study’s senior author, Chensheng Lu of the Harvard School of Public Health, report that exposures can increase children’s risk for leukemia, lymphoma and brain tumors.
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Study Press Release: Exposure to pesticides in childhood linked to cancerStudy: Residential Exposure to Pesticide During Childhood and Childhood Cancers: A Meta-AnalysisMore about the findings of the meta-analysis