Prenatal Exposure to Air Pollution Lowers Children’s IQ
Bottom line: bad air is bad for the babies’ developing brains and might even contribute to the dumbing down of Americans.
Scientists have determined that an expectant mother’s exposure to chemicals called Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) may adversely affect a child’s intelligence level. PAHs are released into the air from burning coal and tobacco. The main source of PAHs is cars that run on diesel, oil and gas. A new study found that children exposed to high levels of PAHs in New York City had IQ scores that were over 4 points lower than children with less chemical exposure.
A 4-point difference on intelligence tests is thought to make a significant difference on school performance and standardized tests.
This is the first study to correlate PAH exposure and IQ. It should warn us of the need to reduce environmental exposures for everyone
