Common Household Chemicals Affect Children’s Immunity
Editor: Research links a poor immune response to vaccines at ages 5 and 7 to the level of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the mother’s blood during the final weeks of her pregnancy.
PFCs, commonly used in many household products such as stain- and grease-resistant carpets and upholstery, nonstick cookware, clothing, and food packaging such as microwave popcorn bags, have triggered health concerns for many years. See a list of products with PFCs here.
These chemicals have been associated with early menopause, elevated cholesterol especially in children, altered immune response, and adverse liver and thyroid reactions.
Shocking new research now clearly shows that high maternal PFC levels can result in low antibodies to vaccines in children. It was reported that for youngsters who had twice the average levels of PFCs in their blood at age 5, the immune response to the tetanus and diphtheria vaccines at age 7 was only half of what it should have been.
The lead researcher, Dr. Philippe Grandjean, said, “What we don’t know is whether this association represents a general immune system dysfunction, and if it has implications in regards to infections, allergies or even cancer. We are looking at something that appears to be just the tip of the iceberg, and we’d very much like to know what the rest of the iceberg looks like.”
JAMA, 2012 Jan 25;307(4):391-7. “Serum vaccine antibody concentrations in children exposed to perfluorinated compounds.”
