According to this story from Time magazine, a new study has linked environmental pollutants during pregnancy to a four-point drop in children's IQ scores by age 5. That doesn't sound like a lot, but...
"A difference in four points could be educationally meaningful in terms of school success,"
says Frederica Perera, director of the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health and lead author of the study. The effect is comparable, she says, to the damage seen in children exposed to low levels of the toxic metal lead.
The study focused on exposure to substances called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a by-product of the incomplete burning of gas, diesel, oil and coal.
Kelly Puente joined the Press-Telegram in 2006 as an editorial assistant and eventually worked her way up to general assignement reporter. Over the years, she’s covered everything from crime and breaking news to human interest and the cities of Bellflower and Cerritos. Kelly is a Long Beach resident and graduate of Cal State Long Beach. She’s new to the education beat and is looking for great stories.
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