Children’s Vulnerability to Their Environment

year around three million children under the age of five die due to causes and conditions related to the environment. children are particularly vulnerable to environmental hazards and depend on adults to create a safer world for them. They go through special windows of development but also vulnerability to environmental risk factors. children are exposed to chemicals in their everyday life, in the different places they dwell. Many of these chemicals have never been tested for pediatric populations. children also have their own unique exposure pathways. In utero exposures, breastfeeding and special behaviors, learning by experience, exploring objects with their mouths, and living closer to the ground, where many pollutants accumulate are unique to children. children are exposed in their own settings, such as school, or through their parent's occupation. In this article we consider the different ways in which children are different to adults in their exposure patterns and related health impacts. creating healthier environments would reduce the child mortality burden as well as prevent environmentally-related handicaps and diseases that children may have to live with for life.