babble » blogs » Strollerderby
Strollerderby
They Say: Kids With Cancer Had Brush With Pesticides
Somehow this news is not surprising, albeit absolutely awful. Researchers have found that children suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were “significantly” more likely to have been exposed to household pesticides than a control group.
That meant, according to scientists whose report will appear in the new issue of the medical journal Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, that the parents the were more likely (thirty-three percent to fourteen percent) to use household pesticides, and the kids were more likely to show a concentration of the components of organophosphates in their bloodstream. The pesticides in question were commonly used on household gardens rather than those limited to commercial use.
The most common of all childhood cancers, ALL accounts for close to six thousand new diagnoses in kids every year. If this link is that strong, it would stand to reason that the prevalence of pesticides in American homes could be playing a large role in the prevalence of said cancer.
Personally it makes me that much happier that I have a black thumb . . . not to mention that much more certain I’ll be washing the heck out of my fruits and vegetables in the future. Do you use pesticides in your garden?
Go Back To Strollerderby
1 Comment
Eric commented on Jul 31 09 at 5:10 pmOrganophosphates as a class are extemely dangerous. While they are quite effective on insects they are also quite effective on people, hence their use as nerve gas. Using pesticides in a responsible and safe way is a skill that everyone growing crops should learn.
Add your take:
Note: Babble is a supportive, diverse community. We encourage a range of opinions,
but any unduly hostile comments will be removed.
Comments are delayed up to 15 minutes
Joslyn Gray 
Amber Doty 
Julianna Miner 
Monica Bielanko 
Sierra Black 
Meredith Carroll 
Carolyn Castiglia 
Sunny Chanel 
Madeline Holler 
Wendy Michaels 
Rebecca Odes 
Danielle Smith 
Danielle Sullivan 
Katherine Stone 
The Walt Disney Company supports Babble as a platform dedicated to honest, engaged, informed, intelligent and open conversation about parenting. However, the opinions expressed on this site are those of individual parents/writers and do not reflect the views of Disney. In addition, content provided on this site is for entertainment or informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or safety advice.
1