Childhood Asthma and Cleaning Products

The CHILD Cohort Study concluded that repeated exposure to common household cleaning products can increase a child's risk of asthma.

The study determined that infants that were exposed to frequent use of household cleaning products more likely to develop childhood asthma by the time they reach the age of three.

The research analyzed data of 2,022 children regarding their exposure household cleaners such as detergents, disinfectants, polishes, and air fresheners."Our study looked at infants, who typically spend 80-90% of their time indoors and are especially vulnerable to chemical exposures through the lungs and skin due to their higher respiration rates and regular contact with household surfaces” said lead researcher, Dr. Tim Takaro.

Jaclyn Parks, the lead author continued ”The risks of recurrent wheeze and asthma were notably higher in homes with frequent use of certain products, such as liquid or solid air fresheners, plug-in deodorizers, dusting sprays, antimicrobial hand sanitizers and oven cleaners.”

She concluded, "The first few months of life are critical for the development of a baby's immune and respiratory systems. By identifying hazardous exposures during infancy, preventive measures can be taken to potentially reduce childhood asthma and subsequent allergy risk.”

Learn more from this study here https://www.cmaj.ca/content/192/7/E164.

Resources: Jaclyn Parks, Lawrence McCandless, Christoffer Dharma, Jeffrey Brook, Stuart E. Turvey, Piush Mandhane, Allan B. Becker, Anita L. Kozyrskyj, Meghan B. Azad, Theo J. Moraes, Diana L. Lefebvre, Malcolm R. Sears, Padmaja Subbarao, James Scott, Tim K. Takaro. Association of use of cleaning products with respiratory health in a Canadian birth cohort. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 2020; 192 (7): E154 DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.190819