This story comes from "Environment California" at the web site: <http://www.environmentcalifornia.org/html/newsletters/fall06/article2.html>;

Tests show that pesticides are found in higher concentrations at day care facilities than in the average home. This fact is particularly alarming because children’s hand to mouth behavior, rapid rate of development, and low ability to neutralize toxic substances leave them particularly vulnerable to permanent damage from toxins.

Pesticides can cause a range of health problems, especially for young children. They can interact with the endocrine system and cause devel-opmental problems, including altered social skills, learning disabilities, developmental delays and hyperactivity. In addition to links to chronic health effects, such as immune deficiency and cancer, pesticides are known to cause acute symptoms, such as headaches and respiratory irritation.

One California study found that children exposed to any pesticide in their first year of life were more than twice as likely to