Katherine M. Shea

Ultraviolet light: A hazard to children

BACKGROUND Sunlight is subdivided into visible light, ranging from 400 nm (violet) to 700 nm (red); longer infrared, “above red” or .700 nm, also called heat; and shorter ultraviolet radiation (UVR), “below violet” or ,400 nm. UVR is further subdivided into UV-A (320–400 nm), also called black (invisible) light; UV-B (290–320 nm), which is more skin-penetrating; and UV-C (,290 nm). UV-B constitutes ,0.5% of sunlight reaching the earth’s surface, but is responsible for most of the acute and chronic sunrelated damage to normal skin.1 Most UVR is absorbed by stratospheric ozone. UV-B has greater intensity in summer than in winter, at midday than in morning or late afternoon, in places closer to the equator, and at high altitudes. Sand, snow, concrete, and water can reflect up to 85% of sunlight, thus intensifying exposure.1

Global climate change and children's health

There is a broad scientific consensus that the global climate is warming, the process is accelerating, and that human activities are very likely (>90% probability) the main cause. This warming will have effects on ecosystems and human health, many of them adverse. Children will experience both the direct and indirect effects of climate change. Actions taken by individuals, communities, businesses, and governments will affect the magnitude and rate of global climate change and resultant health impacts. This technical report reviews the nature of the global problem and anticipated health effects on children and supports the recommendations in the accompanying policy statement on climate change and childrens health.

Nontherapeutic use of antimicrobial agents in animal agriculture: implications for pediatrics.

Antimicrobial resistance is widespread. Overuse or misuse of antimicrobial agents in veterinary and human medicine is responsible for increasing the crisis of resistance to antimicrobial agents. The American Academy of Pediatrics, in conjunction with the US Public Health Service, has begun to address this problem by disseminating policies on the judicious use of antimicrobial agents in humans. Between 40% and 80% of the antimicrobial agents used in the United States each year are used in food animals; many are identical or very similar to drugs used in humans. Most of this use involves the addition of low doses of antimicrobial agents to the feed of healthy animals over prolonged periods to promote growth and increase feed efficiency or at a range of doses to prevent disease. These nontherapeutic uses contribute to resistance and create health dangers for humans. This report will describe how antimicrobial agents are used in animal agriculture and review the mechanisms by which such uses contribute to resistance in human pathogens. Although therapeutic use of antimicrobial agents in agriculture clearly contributes to the development of resistance, this report will concentrate on nontherapeutic uses in healthy animals.

Risk of ionizing radiation exposure to children: A subject review

Exposure of children to ionizing radiation most commonly is from the environment, chiefly through cosmic rays and radon, or from medical technology. Medical radiation exposure occurs during diagnosis, therapy, and dental radiography. More is known about the biological effects of exposure to ionizing radiation than to nonionizing radiation from microwaves, radiowaves, and the electrical fields of other electrical appliances. This review applies only to sources of ionizing radiation and does not include the potential risks of indoor radon. The effects on children of ionizing radiation have been studied from war activities and environmental accidents. Projections are made from that data to help pediatricians evaluate risk from radiation when ordering radiographs.

Global Climate Change and Children9s Health

There is a broad scientific consensus that the global climate is warming, the process is accelerating, and that human activities are very likely (>90% probability) the main cause. This warming will have effects on ecosystems and human health, many of them adverse. Children will experience both the direct and indirect effects of climate change. Actions taken by individuals, communities, businesses, and governments will affect the magnitude and rate of global climate change and resultant health impacts. This technical report reviews the nature of the global problem and anticipated health effects on children and supports the recommendations in the accompanying policy statement on climate change and childrens health.