What makes children uniquely vulnerable regarding pesticide exposure relative to adults?
They eat/drink/breathe more food/water/air relative to body weight.
Children face disproportionately high risks from environmental toxicants, including pesticides, due to several physiological and behavioral factors. A primary reason is their high intake ratio: children consume, inhale, and drink substantially more food, water, and air relative to their smaller body mass compared to adults. Furthermore, their internal detoxification systems, particularly the liver enzymes responsible for breaking down foreign substances, are often not fully mature. This immaturity means that chemicals may persist longer in their systems. This combination of higher relative dose and less mature clearance mechanisms means toxicants can exert greater damaging effects, especially during critical windows of development for the brain and other vital organs.
