Canadian Society for Environmental Medicine |
Jozef J. Krop, M.D. |
Learning Disabilities Association of Canada |
J.G. Maclennan, M.D. |
Doris J. Rapp, M.D. |
The Lung Association
Children with environmental sensitivities have been called "The canaries in the
coal mine" — an early warning system for others inhabiting the same environment. Exposures to
building products, furnishings and materials that have toxic potential, as well as poor ventilation in
schools, affect all children to some degree. For example, unventilated rooms, with lower levels of oxygen
and higher levels of carbon dioxide, result in a sleepy and restless class.
It is becoming more and more evident that the central nervous system is particularly vulnerable
to exposures to many toxicants and that these can affect both learning and behavioural abilities in
subtle but serious ways. However, studies to investigate the potential of most volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) to adversely affect the brain have not been done, and so we have no data upon which
to base a reference concentration for inhaled air for children's exposures to these substances.
A study of workers exposed to VOCs (found in a variety of industrial and home
products, including paints, varnishes, glues and cleaning agents) compared these workers to
unexposed workers on a battery of neurobehavioural tests. The exposed workers performed
significantly more poorly on tests of learning and memory, visuospatial skills, attention and
mental flexibility, and motor speed and dexterity.1
We do not know how many children are affected by poor school ventilation and toxic exposure,
but as Health Canada's ISSUES paper on environmental sensitivities states: "Prevention is
the most important and simplest aspect of this problem."2 Removing allergens and/or
sources of contaminants in schools could help all children.
An optimal learning environment is much more than a good curriculum and good teaching.
It would be prudent for school boards to institute the recommendations of the Allergy and
Environmental Health Association into policy and procedure.
Barbara McElgunn
Health Liaison Officer
Learning Disabilities Association of Canada
On behalf of The Lung Association, I want to commend you on the production of
Accommodating the Needs of Students with Environmental Sensitivities. Long overdue, it
underscores the need to increase awareness about the link between our indoor environment and health.
I also hope it stimulates discussion regarding the need for enforceable regulations within indoor
environments. In many indoor settings, little if any legislation exists to regulate the use of toxic
compounds or to set exposure limits especially for at-risk populations such as expectant mothers,
children, seniors and the infirm. In addition, eight ministries address indoor air quality issues —
more if federal and municipal levels are included. Each ministry has different
responsibilities and degrees of involvement, but none has a clear mandate to regulate or remediate indoor
air quality problems.
Clearly a comprehensive education program like yours is the first step to assist people in
identifying, avoiding and remedying indoor air quality problems in the school environment. While
the costs of this agenda may be considerable, the costs of inaction, both in terms of health and
financial liability, could greatly exceed those of an early, responsible campaign.
Congratulations on an excellent information package!
Ian C. Morton
Environment Co-ordinator
The Lung Association
It is certainly fortunate for Canadian students and teachers that the Allergy
and Environmental Health Association has prepared this educational material to address the
Environmental, Health and Learning connection. Too many continue to ignore or deny the obvious.
What we eat, touch, and breathe unquestionably can affect how we look, feel, act, behave, learn and
remember. Missing this relationship will definitely jeopardize the future of some children.
Many affected children and their families have classical allergies such as asthma, hayfever or
eczema which commonly in turn lead to repeated ear, nose, sinus, lung and skin infections. Dusts,
molds, pollen, pets, and foods, however, are only part of the environmental picture. Our chemically
polluted environment can adversely affect any area of the body. Typical allergenic substances, as
well as chemicals, can cause headaches, muscle twitches, tics, weakness and cramps. Bladder or
bowel spasms can cause accidents in school, blood vessel problems can cause nosebleeds, and an
immense variety of activity and behaviour problems can be related to school exposures. Finding,
eliminating or treating the causes of these problems will result in these children feeling,
learning, and behaving considerably better. Not recognizing these problems can naturally lead to
secondary psychological stresses, but this is usually the effect, and not the cause. The challenge
is to detect and eliminate as many of the environmental factors as possible that are interfering
with a child's well-being.
Parents and educators, as well as older children, must jointly accept the responsibility of
recognizing when environmental factors interfere with learning. Working as a team, they can
uncover the cause of many problems and then find practical and sensible ways to cope with them.
Many of the suggestions made in this presentation are not really difficult. The bottom line is
to think about what the child ate, touched or smelled. If a child is ill mainly at home and
better at school, think about what might be different within your home. If there are problems at
school home and the child is better at home, think about what might be different within the
entire school. Think particularly about poor ventilation or molds. If a child is worse in one
special room or area, ask yourself why? What is different in that location? If worse after meals,
snacks or parties, think about foods and beverages. If worse after cleaning, remodeling, new
furnishings, exposure to lavatory disin-fectants, or science laboratories, think chemicals. If a
child is worse on rainy days or in damp areas, think mold. If a child is worse outside during
recess, think of pollen, mold, or pollutants, such as pesticides. In relation to all of this,
remember, it is not "how much but how sensitive" that determines if someone will become ill or
not. Some sensitive individuals, for example, can become amazingly ill from the slightest whiff
of a wide range of chemical odours.
The required changes in a school are not always expensive. Sometimes one or more of the
following can totally resolve a child's problem: better ventilation with fans, filters and
open windows; a room air purifier; safer cleaning agents; fewer chemicals; and avoidance of a
favourite food. Resolution of the cause of an environmentally related illness in one child will
undoubtedly help many others in that school who are less seriously or less obviously ill.
Unfortunately, we presently live in a world of contaminated air, food, water, clothing, homes,
workplaces and schools. By also applying the proposed general suggestions discussed in this
presentation to the home environment, a child's improvement should be even more remarkable.
This information package fortunately provides some insight and answers that hopefully will
enable caring parents, teachers and school administrators to unite in their efforts to restore and
monitor the health and academic ability of their students.
Doris J. Rapp, M.D., F.A.A.A., F.A.A.P.
Pediatric Allergist Specializing in Environmental Medicine (Buffalo, NY), and author of
five books on this subject, including Is This Your Child? and Is This Your School?
(forthcoming in September 1996)>
It is indeed impressive that the Allergy and Environmental Health Association
(AEHA) has tackled the important task of raising parent, teacher, and school board awareness of the
adverse and sometimes devastating health effects of indoor air pollution in schools.
It is also even more commendable that they have developed such excellent educational materials.
This report, a brochure, and the text for an oral presentation are all clear, concise and
attractive. They offer maximum information with minimum exertion.
The observed health effects of exposure to environmental contaminants are outlined. The
suggested environmental control measures offer sensible means to prevent or minimize illness
in the hypersensitives and to protect all students and school staff. After all, it is possible
that any individual attending polluted schools may eventually develop environmental
hypersensitivity disorders or other health problems. Thus, preventative measures designed
for some are actually protective for all.
Our physician members have repeatedly seen significant health improvements in hypersensitive students and teachers after application of reasonable environmental control measures in their schools. The AEHA materials offer very useful guidance to pursue such measures.
L.M. Marshall, M.D., F.A.A.E.M.
President,
Canadian Society for Environmental Medicine
Problems in our schools are increasing: violence, behavioural disturbances and
learning disabilities. Educators and parents should be aware that chemicals in the environment
affect not only the physical but also the psychological health of our children.
Low-level exposure to toxins in our daily life via chemicals in the food chain, air,
water and unsafe building materials contaminate both body and mind. Pollution stress
creates a need for detoxification achieved through nutrients (vitamins, minerals and
amino acids) not always available due to the degradation of agricultural soil and the
excessive marketing of junk foods targeted particularly at children.
Poor nutrition negatively affects both bodily structure and function particularly
that of the central nervous system. Our genetic DNA code, identical to that of our
ancestors dictates how to build and regenerate our bodies. The building blocks are the
nutrients available from foods but today's blocks are of poor quality. Compare this to
building a home according to sound architectural plans (DNA) but using cheap materials
(today's diet). The end result is a nice looking house (body) vulnerable to damage
(infections, etc.).
Neurobehavioural toxicology proves that toxins in small doses can damage the brain and
more so developing brains of children, causing confusion, depression, anger, memory loss
and decreased intellectual functioning. Integrity, identity and sovereignty are maintained
through an adequate supply of nutrients supporting psychological processes. A calculator
with a weak battery can perform only simple functions. A polluted brain, by analogy,
performs the basic functions of maintaining breathing, circulation, instincts of hunger
and sex, but higher functions such as learning, love, friendship and sharing are distorted.
This report is important for all students, educators and parents. The offered suggestions
should be put into practice not only in schools, but in our homes and workplaces as well.
Jozef J. Krop, M.D., F.A.A.E.M.
Secretary, Canadian Society for Environmental Medicine, and
Board Member, American Academy of Environmental Medicine
This report educates society, by explaining the relationship of different environmental
exposures to student health.
Those of us who have practiced Environmental medicine for many years have identified an increasing
incidence of environmental sensitivities in our pediatric patients. The chemicals that are responsible
are derived from fossil fuels, natural gas, oil and coal. they are found in the air we breathe, the foods
and fluids we consume, and are all foreign to the human body. Another significant cause of environmental
illness is sensitivity to particulate inhalants, such as molds, mold spores, dusts, mites pollens, pets
and foods.
Although all parameters of the environment can cause adverse reactions in the sensitive individual,
chemicals are the most difficult to detect and manage, because they are so numerous. Likewise, any
organ system in the body can be affected, and therefore the manifestations are varied and diverse in
nature. It is our experience that the brain and central nervous system are a common site of reaction,
causing symptoms that make life very difficult for the student, teacher and class as a whole. This,
of course, effectively prevents the student from developing good study habits, learning and progressing
through the school grades and university to achieve full potential as a student and adult.
Because of their size, children have a higher metabolic rate, relatively greater lung capacity,
increased respiration and pulse rate. Being of shorter stature, their exposures are greater because
the concentrations of chemicals are higher at floor level than at adult height. In addition, children's
immune mechanisms do not mature until they are 10 to 12 years of age.
This report offers a comprehensive, common-sense, corrective, and preventive program for school boards
across Canada. It is cost effective from an economic and health point of view, and following this
program will ensure that our children will reach their potential, according to their individual
capabilities.
J.G. Maclennan, B.A., M.D., F.A.C.A., F.A.A.E.M.
Honorary Medical Advisor
Allergy and Environmental Health Association of Canada
Canadian Society for Environmental Medicine |
Jozef J. Krop, M.D.
Learning Disabilities Association of Canada |
J.G. Maclennan, M.D.
Doris J. Rapp, M.D. |
The Lung Association
