Don't Panic, But Protect

It’s not enough to protect your kids from sun exposure and weather-related dangers. As a parent, you also want to pay attention to sneakier environmental threats that can affect their health and development. Children are especially vulnerable to environmental hazards such as gases, chemicals and contaminants because, per pound of body weight, they absorb more through their lungs, digestive tracts and skin than adults do, says Philip Landrigan, M.D., a professor of pediatrics and director of the Children’s Environmental Health Center at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and co-author of Raising Healthy Children in a Toxic World. Plus, they’re more exposed to such hazards because they often explore their surroundings with their hands, which can promptly end up in their mouths. There’s no need to panic, but it is smart to take steps to protect your kids from the following 15 common environmental hazards.