Prenatal and early childhood biomass smoke exposure and child neuro-developmental outcomes

Abstract

For many families in developing countries such as Sri Lanka, burning wood is the cheapest and most available source of cooking and heating fuel. However the household air pollution (HAP) resulting from burning of bio mass fuel is hazardous to children’s health. The numerous chemicals contained in wood smoke have been shown to have adverse effects on various aspects of children’s health. While the impact of HAP on children’s lung function, allergic diseases and childhood cancer has been investigated fairly extensively, less attention has been paid to the impact of exposure to wood smoke on neurodevelopment. The developing nervous system is especially vulnerable to environmental toxins and elevated levels of incomplete combustion products of wood smoke such as carbon monoxide are known to have neurotoxin effects. An ongoing collaborative study between the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya and the University of Alabama at Birmingham aims to assess the impact of prenatal and postnatal exposure to HAP on children’s neurodevelopment. HAP exposure is determined through questionnaires and measurement of PM2.5, PM1.0, PM10, CO and NO2. Neurodevelopment of children is assessed at birth and then at regular intervals up to 36 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development. Preliminary results from this study add to the growing body of evidence on the impact of HAP on children’s neurodevelopment.