“This is really important because we have significant health inequities of all kinds for children in the U.S. that tracks with poverty,” said Catherine Karr, an environmental epidemiologist and pediatric environmental medicine specialist at the University of Washington.
Published on December 1, 2022
Young children living in neighborhoods with high rates of poverty are more likely to be exposed to many different air pollutants, and that can harm their development during early childhood, according to a study published Wednesday. The children’s increased exposure to air toxins during infancy can reduce reading and math abilities and cause them to fall behind — for some, the effect is equivalent to losing an entire month of elementary school.
“Clean air is part of the prescription for every child to meet their full health potential, including cognitive health,” added Karr, who was not involved in the study.
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Originally written by Amudalat Ajasa for The Washington Post.