How Pollution Affects Children’s Learning Capabilities

A person’s body is not fully developed until well into his or her 20s. During childhood and adolescence, children are constantly changing and adapting based on what they take into their bodies and the environments in which they live. From public kindergartens to private boarding schools, kids are what they eat and breathe — but what if what they eat and breathe is polluted?

The Effects of Industrialization

Studies show that children who go to school near industrial plants, mining facilities or even in places where the water is less than pure can develop serious lifelong medical problems as a result. Children exposed to high levels of carbon in the air while playing outside during recess can develop lung problems such as asemia far more easily than children who live in cleaner areas. A wheezing child on the playground might be a sign to relocate the school before more children become unable to breathe.

The most dangerous pollutant for children is lead. In the United States, lead-based products for children are all but banned. From paint on toy cars to water bottles, Americans live in a lead-free world. However, when children are exposed to lead, children can experience anything from brain damage to death if the exposure is high enough. This is why every school including private boarding schools are tested for lead on a routine basis.

Ground-Based Pollutants

Pollution in the ground is relatively more rare, but can be just as dangerous. When kids are playing in the dirt and unearth glass or old gasoline, it can cause serious immediate risk and long-term risk to children. In heavy urban populations, drug needles and other dangerous paraphernalia can expose children to diseases like hepatitis and HIV before they have their first kiss. Rural private boarding schools don’t experience this problem as much, but in urban areas it can still be a concern. No matter where your children are, vigilance is the best key to their safety.

Joe Meyere is an academic writer for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Wasatch Academy. Follow on Twitter.