Environmental Factors and Health Promotion
Misty Hummer
Grand Canyon University
NRS-434V
November 01, 2015

Environmental Factors and Health Promotion

Pesticides have been around since the 15th century but are increasing in use as the food supply grows. Pesticides include "any substance used to kill, repel, or control certain forms of plant or animal life that are considered to be pests" (Pesticides, 2015, para. 1). There are many products that contain pesticides that people are aware of such as cleaning products and pest control. However, there are those that people are unaware of such as pesticides used on fruits and vegetables. Infants are extremely vulnerable to pesticides because of their developing body systems (Pesticides and Children, 2013). This paper will explore the teaching and learning of a young mother and how pesticides can impact the health of her baby. Nadine, who is of Puerto Rican descent, is twenty-two years old and recently had her first child. Her baby is now eight months old, a daughter named Juliette. Nadine moved to Tucson, Arizona from Brooklyn, New York because of the cost of living and the fact that she has family nearby to help her. She did not finish high school and has yet to acquire her G.E.D. She states that she would like to further her education but is unable to at this time. Nadine currently works at Jim Click Automotive Group in a customer service position. I shared the pamphlet with Nadine about how pesticides can affect an infants' growth. She was surprised to find out that pesticides are present in many of the fruits and vegetables she purchases. She wasn't aware that pesticides could cause so many problems with babies such as asthma and cancer. Nadine wondered if this was affecting her baby when she was pregnant because she did eat a lot of fruits and vegetables during that time. We discussed how Juliette did not have any birth defects and was developing at a normal level, so any exposure she got during pregnancy was very minimal. Nadine stated that she would scrub all of her fruits and vegetables from now on and try to buy organic foods if possible. She also stated that she would read more labels and be more aware of what was in the food she is providing for Juliette. I feel that Nadine was very responsive to the information that was provided and wants to offer the best possible choices to her child. She had stated that she had no idea that foods she was purchasing were harmful for her or Juliette. I also feel that she understood the information and was eager for a better understanding. In summary, new parents should be aware of the dangers that these chemicals pose to their children. As the food supply grows, so will the demand for pesticide usage. There should also be awareness about common household products such as pest control and cleaners that contain toxic substances. It is only with education that the effects of pesticides on infants can be curbed.

References
Carina, S. (2015). Report: Pesticide exposure linked to childhood cancer and lower IQ. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/14/health/pesticide-exposure-childhood-cancer/
Food: Field to fork. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.panna.org/food-farming-derailed/food-field-fork
Pesticides. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/pesticides/
Pesticides and children. (2013). Retrieved from http://npic.orst.edu/health/child.html
Pesticides and your baby. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.marchofdimes.org/baby/pesticides-and-your-baby.aspx