1. Pests, Pesticides and Children’s Health WHY IPM ?
Philadelphia School & Community IPM Partnership
Pennsylvania IPM Program
Ext. 109
Website:
I. Pests & Pest Control is Hard to Talk About:
A. Some folks find it “gross”.
It is also private (not something we chat about with parents or with each other).
It is (relatively speaking) unimportant – more important things demand our attention.
B. Sometimes it is “gross” and it is sometimes private. BUT it is NOT unimportant because:
WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT PEST CONTROL WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CHILDREN’S HEALTH!
C. FURTHERMORE: Today we will do our best to disregard the icky factor and the private factor – so that we
are talking realistically and honestly about pest problems
II. Introduce Self:
- PA IPM
- PSCIP
- If trainer, then trained by PA IPM (other relevant background information)
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2. Why Learn about Pest Control in Child Cares Centers?
Pests & pesticides can
harm children’s health
So why should we learn about pest control in child care centers?
Two main reasons we must talk about pest control:
1. Because some pests and the pesticides we frequently use to control the pests are dangerous and can harm children’s health.
2. Because everyone must contribute and work together to accomplish safer pest control practices in a childcare facility. It is a team effort, not just the responsibility of the pest control operator or the exterminator.
After Today’s Presentation, you will:
1. Understand the link between pests, pesticides and children’s health.
2. Know what things you must do to control pests inside of a facility.
3. Know what IPM is and is not.
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3. What is a Pest?
Pests may include: mammals, insects, rodents, bacteria, and plants. Pests spread diseases to people, animals and plants, destroy property, and are a nuisance.
Cockroaches Ants
Mice Fleas
Flies Birds
Spiders Bed bugs
Head lice Weeds
Some common household and workplace pests may include cockroaches, rats and mice, flies, fleas, and head lice. Remember, these “pests” are here because they need food, water and shelter the same as us and we’ve made it very comfortable for some of them to live with us.
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4. Problems Caused by Pests
People don’t like them in their spaces
Health Problems
Damage Property
ASK: Has anyone considered the problems associated with pests?
Discuss responses.
Pests are unpleasant. There are stigmas associated with having pests, although not necessarily true. You can have the cleanest house or facility and still have an occasional pest problem.
Pests such as cockroaches and mice can spread diseases and trigger asthma.
And pests can damage property:
Mice can chew through wires and cause fires.
Termites damage structural wood in homes and buildings.
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5. Problems Caused by Pests
Health Problems
Spread Bacterial Diseases
Contaminate Food
Trigger Asthma
LCMV – spread by mice. Causes meningitis and may harm pregnancies
Some known health problems that have been associated with pests are:
*Spreading bacterial diseases. A roach can walk across the toilet or in the trash on uncooked meat or rotting
food and then across plates and tables where we eat.
*Pests eat what we eat and can contaminate our food.
*Roaches can trigger asthma because when they shed their skin to grow, they release a “dander” much like a
cat. This has been shown to be an asthma trigger.
*Mice have also been shown to trigger asthma because of their fur and urine smells.
*Mice can spread LCMV (lymphocytic coriomeningitis virus) through their urine, feces, and saliva.
This virus causes a type of meningitis and has been shown to be a possible cause of neurological retarding to a developing human fetus or even still-birth.
*Some pests cause other diseases such as Ticks that carry Lyme Disease (top picture)
*Others are just a nuisance such as a bed bug (bottom, right picture) because although they don’t spread any known diseases, they do
bite and it can cause the site to itch which may then lead to a secondary infection from scratching.
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6. Problems Caused by Pests
Pests have been shown to cause and trigger ASTHMA
Philadelphia ranks in the top 5 WORST cities for childhood asthma
Latino and African American children are diagnosed with asthma more often than peers from other ethnic and racial groups
In 2007, Philadelphia was ranked the second worst asthma city in the nation, behind Atlanta (#1), by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.
More than 25% or our school-aged children have been diagnosed with asthma, this is more than three times the national average. Why?
There are many things that can trigger asthma and each person needs to understand what his or her triggers are. We have little to no personal control over some triggers, such as what comes out of a factory’s smoke stack. However, there are some that we have complete control over, such as pests and the tools & tactics we use to control them.
A recent study found that children exposed to herbicides (weed killers) during their 1st year of life are 4 1/2 times more likely to be diagnosed with asthma before the age of five. It also found that toddlers who were exposed to insecticides (insect killers) are more than twice as likely to develop asthma. (Explanation and citation of the study can be found in “Asthma, Children, and Pesticides: What you should know to Protect your Family” )
Minority and Ethnic groups are diagnosed with asthma more often than their peers for many reasons. Some reasons include living in older houses which often provide easier access for pests to enter, and the cultural norms of using pesticides.
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7. What is IPM?
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an approach to controlling pests in safer, more effective, and longer-lasting ways.
When you use IPM, you
a.) understand a pest's identity and habits so non-toxic, preventative measures can be used first
b.) use a combination of different tactics for better effectiveness
c.) use least-toxic chemicals, if any
So, how do we handle these problems? Well, for a long time we’ve used pesticides, but they may not be the only or the best option.
Integrated Pest Management is common sense pest control.
IPM stands for Integrated Pest Management. It uses common sense practices to eliminate the reasons pests come into our spaces: Food, Water, and Shelter. We all need these things to survive, even the pests.
Integrated Pest Management is economical, effective as well as health and environmentally-sensitive. IPM is a systematic and scientific approach to pest management.
Read Slide.
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8. How do we do Integrated Pest Management?
Keep Pests Out
Remove Pests’ Food & Water
Remove Pests’ Shelter
Monitor for Pests
Treat Existing Pest Problems
So how do we do IPM?
IPM is a safer method of pest control that emphasizes pest prevention and coordinates several different approaches to pest problems into one strategy. Sounds fancy but it is very simple – you’re probably already doing it.
1. Keep pests out: How do most pests enter a facility – they walk, fly in or hitchike in; some are even born inside. BUT if we keep pests out – they can’t become our pests.
2. Food & Water: If you have an existing pest problem in your facility -- one MAJOR reason – there is enough food and water to allow them survive and thrive. Remove the food/water and many pest problems will shrink or go away.
3. Remove Pests’ Shelter: These are the little nooks and crannies that pests love to live, hide and reproduce in. Take away hiding and pests don’t like to stay around.
4. Monitor for Pests. This is KEY. Sticky traps and pest sighting logs help us know if there is a pest problem that requires attention – IF there isn’t a problem just stay on top of steps 1-4 and don’t do anything else: NO monthly spraying; NO baiting; JUST cleaning/sanitation, maintenance, and monitoring
5. Treat Pest Problems, only if they exist. Use non-chemical (traps and vacuums) and least toxic (gels and baits) to handle the problem.
Monthly spraying is NOT IPM. Why not? Because monthly spraying is not solving the problem. It can be compared to just “harvesting the pest” on a monthly basis. If one doesn’t get to the REASON (food, water, shelter) the pest is there, then the pest problem will NOT be SOLVED by monthly spraying. Additionally, it doesn’t follow the IPM protocol of starting with PREVENTION. Spraying is an intervention, and should only be used with an IPM plan that includes prevention, or when all other methods of pest management have failed. Keep in mind that pesticides (e.g., sprays, foggers, “bombs” and dusts) are poisonous, and were designed to interrupt basic life function and cause death of a living animal or plant. When a pesticide is used, the least-toxic, most specific one should be chosen and applied only when and where the pest will come in contact with it.
WHY IPM
1. More effective and economical overtime; because it eliminates the root cause of the pest problems, pests issues will get smaller over time.
2. Protects kids from pesticides
Routine Monthly Spraying is NOT Part of IPM
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9. 1. Keep Pests Out Doors & Windows Cracks and Holes Deliveries
Check screens for holes and repair .
Cracks and Holes
An open door is an invitation…to a pest problem.
Fill all holes, cracks and crevices.
Check for gaps at the bottom of doors and install door sweeps.
Deliveries
Let’s look at these 5 steps a little more in detail:
1. Keep Pests Out (start at the bottom left, and work your way around clock-wise)
A. Space under door (bottom left).
- Door sweeps-make sure they are in good repair
- All doors need them ESPECIALLY backdoors to the dumpster area.
- Do the Dime test/pencil test - this will determine if the space is big enough for a mouse to enter. The skull/head of an adult
mouse is the biggest part of their body, so if that can fit through, then the rest will follow. So, if you can fit a dime or a pencil into
the hole, then a mouse can fit too! Seal up the hole by using copper mesh, silicone caulk, plaster or another patching material.
B. Don’t prop open doors (top left). Every pest can walk right through this open invitation!
C. Check windows (top middle) to be sure they are properly fit. Make sure screens are in good repair and properly installed. You may need to caulk the outside of the windows, using a silicone caulk to fill the small gaps and prevent many pests from entering.
D. Look at the exterior of the building where pipes and wires come in (middle right). Seal any spaces off here too. It is like a highway for a pest, right into the building! Also, be sure to place dumpsters as far from building as possible and keep lids and other access points to dumpsters closed at all times.
E. Some pests hitchhike (bottom right) in with students in their backpacks and other belongings. Is there a solution to this?
G. Deliveries (bottom middle right) Cockroaches LOVE corrugated cardboard. We all save boxes, but it is better to dispose of them as soon as the delivery is unpacked and properly put away. Boxes provide great hiding place and shelter, and the glue is a source of food because it is often starch based.
WHOSE JOB IS IT TO DO ALL OF THIS?
Many pests are hitchhikers.
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10. 2. Remove Pests’ Food & Water
Problems…
Yuck!
2. Remove Pests’ Food and Water
Cleaning and Sanitation are KEY:
FOCUS IN AREAS WHERE FOOD IS PREPPED, SERVED, EATEN OR STORED (including where staff eat)
CLEAN TO THE CORNER – especially in hard to reach places; clearing shelves and cleaning before putting things back, not every week, but on a regular basis
Limit eating to one easily cleaned part of the facility
Clean up spills immediately
Periodically clean drains (1/2 Cup of baking soda followed by 1/2 Cup of vinegar, let sit 5 minutes then flush with Hot water)
Food Storage:
Store food in pest proof containers, such as hard plastic with tight-fitting lids, or glass jars with screw-top lids. Also, think of the “food” in the art closet such as beans and macaroni
Don’t leave food and drinks out overnight
Don’t leave water standing in sinks, buckets or pots and pans overnight
Solutions…
Picture: University of Florida/IFAS
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11. 3. Remove Pest Harborage Clutter
Clutter provides lots of hiding spots AND covers up evidence of a growing problem.
3. Remove Pest Harborage (SHELTER and HIDING SPACES!)
I. Clutter: DOES THIS LOOK FAMILIAR?
A. BIG Challenge in Childcare Facilities:
B. Benefits to controlling clutter:
- FEWER HIDING SPOTS
- ABILITY TO SEE EVIDENCE OF PEST INFESTATION
- CLEANER, SAFER FACILITY
- TEACHERS ABILITY TO FIND WHAT THEY NEED FOR CLASS
- MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS, ETC…
II. OTHER HARBORAGE CHALLENGES:
A. CORRUGATED CARDBOARD
- Roaches love it
- Live in it
- Eat it
- Try to keep it out of your facility – especially if you’re dealing w/ a roach problem.
B. PILES OF NEWSPAPER / RECYCLING:
- get rid of it before is creates a problem, makes the facility run better as well.
C. SHELVING ISSUES:
- metal/wire shelving is best (esp. in kitchen and storage) because it doesn’t absorb oil and scents
- be sure bottom shelf is at least 2 inches above the floor (even a bit more is ok) so that you can clean under it
Before
After

12. 4. Monitor for Pests Report sighting in the pest sighting log
Don’t move monitor traps
4. Monitor for Pests
I. KEY to successful IPM
A. Address pest issues early.
B. If there is NO problem - continue with prevention (steps 1-3) and monitoring (step 4) and DO NOTHING ELSE!!!
II. Insect sticky traps
- Placement on floor against walls in pest prone areas: kitchen, storage rooms, bathrooms
- if you’re using a Pest Control Operator (PCO), they should decide where monitoring stations need to go and they should check them as part of their service
III. Glue boards
- Place on floor against walls in pest prone areas
- Talk with your PCO about plastic boxes if need be
IV. Pest sighting logs
- Create a simple log to keep track of pests. Important information to include would be: Date, What was thought to be seen and how many? (e.g., ant, mouse, etc.), Where was it? (e.g., kitchen, classroom #, etc.), Name of person who reported it?
- Working with your PCO
- communicating information on the pest sighting log is essential to a good partnership with your PCO
Roaches and poop.
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13. 5. Treat Existing Pest Problems
Use traps and secured bait if necessary
Only a licensed pest control operator may apply a pesticide in someone else’s property
5. Treat Existing Pest Problems
Why do prevention first?
A. Attempting to eradicate pests without first using the preventive techniques we’ve already discussed – will only ensure that you will continue to battle the problem.
B. CONTROL of existing pest problems is much easier once you’ve taken away all the comforts of staying inside the facility.
C. POPULATION UNDER STRESS, therefore easier to trap and bait, if needed.
NON CHEMICAL
- Use no chemicals to reduce the population
- show examples: traps, vacuums
LEAST HAZARDOUS
- preference for gels and baits NOT sprays, bombs or fumigants
WHY? What is a pesticide and what are the problems with pesticides?
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14. When you use IPM Find out what it is AND
Understand its life cycle and needs.
Remember that it is important to identify the pest. Know your enemy. Is it an insect or other type of arthropod, a rodent or another type of mammal? Also you need to understand a little about the pest’s biology. Things such as it’s life cycle (does it have complete or incomplete metamorphosis?) and the kinds of foods it eats. Is this animal really a pest? Is it a health concern? Or is it just a nuisance? Is it a case of mistaken identity? Is it a male or a female (only adult female mosquitoes bite!)
Remember that not all insects are bad, some control other pests than can cause harm or spread disease. If you get rid of the good ones, you have then inherited their job! Everything has its place, as long as it stays in its place.
Mosquito life cycle
Cockroach life cycle
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15. When you use IPM Find out how many and where they are.
You need to check to see how many pests are really here, and know where they are. Are they in just one place? Many places? Just because you see one, doesn’t mean there are more. It also doesn’t mean that there aren’t more. You can use glue traps to determine the population. The traps should be placed in areas where pests most likely will be found: behind the refrigerator, next to the stove, and other common pest hiding places. Remember: food, water and shelter.
Also, how many are too many? This may be different for people based on personal comfort, but it may also depend on whether the pest is a health concern or just a nuisance.
Ants in the kitchen are a good example to demonstrate this idea.
(Ask:) So how many ants are too many? Does the threshold vary from person to person?
(Discuss responses.)
Remember: pest ID, biology, pest levels?
Here are some things to know about ants:
* They are a nuisance but not a health concern.
* These ants are usually just pavement ants. They have nests outside and forage for food.
* They are a common pest especially in the spring. They are waking up and are hungry. They are scavengers and will eat crumbs and dead insects, and pretty much whatever they can carry back to the nest.
* They are a social insects and live in a colony to serve the queen. The queen’s job is to make more ants.
* The ants you see are just workers and if they don’t return home the queen will just make more workers.
* Ants leave a scent trail so that others may find the food. So when you see one, others will most likely follow unless you wipe up their trails with water or vinegar water.
How many are too many?
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16. When you use IPM Decide what to do. PA IPM Program, PSCIP
Next you need to decide what to do or what “tools” to use. Let’s look at the IPM pyramid.
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17. IPM Pyramid of Tactics PA IPM Program, PSCIP
This is the “IPM Pyramid of Tactics”. It is similar to the “food pyramid” in that you want to stay at the bottom and work your way up. Also, we have color coded it so that it resembles a “traffic light” with green being a “go” and “red” being a stop. If you look to the left of the pyramid you will see that the tactics move from prevention to intervention as you move up the pyramid. Also that risk (or potential for poisoning) increases as you move up the pyramid.
You can also think of this pyramid as a tool box. Each level is a drawer that contains different methods or tools that can be used.
Let’s look at each drawer individually.
Let’s stay with our example of Ants in the kitchen. And let’s start at the bottom of the pyramid with the DESIGN/MAINTENANCE tactics.
We have already discussed the reasons these ants are there - food. So we should try first to eliminate the sources of food for these workers with: general sanitation, vacuuming and wet cleaning. Since the ants follow each other by leaving a scent trail, wet wiping the area will “wipe-out” the trail. It is also important to make sure that food is stored in pest-proof containers, and again that any crumbs or spills are cleaned up immediately.
The next set of tactics are physical or mechanical “tools”. Sometimes you have to play detective which is a good activity for children to help with. Watch the ants, where are they coming from? Where are they going to? Follow their trails to see how they are getting in. Then plug those holes. We recommend using silicone caulk to plug the holes. It is a cheap, quick, easy and an effective fix to blocking the ant’s entry.
Some other tools in this drawer would be to use a vacuum, sticky barriers or traps, and to fix leaks to eliminate a water source.
Our next drawer is labeled “BIOLOGICAL”. Think of this as using the “good bugs” to eliminate the “bad bugs”. Letting nature balance itself. For ants, there are beneficial nematodes which can be applied on the outdoor nests. Nematodes are microscopic worms that invade the ants’ bodies, and destroy the colony from the inside out. They are naturally occurring in the soil, but for this purpose should be ordered from beneficial insect rearing companies.
Now we come to the top of the pyramid. This “drawer” is red, so stop and think before you use these CHEMICAL tactics.
Not all chemicals are created the same. So, we have split our chemicals into two drawers.
The first we have labeled “less risky”. These are the “softer” chemicals which are often more targeted to a specific pest and are in general less-toxic to non-targeted species.
For ants, the tools that are available include: boric acid, tamper-proof baits, and diatomaceous earth.
Boric acid is available in these (hold up example) squeeze containers with a narrow tip. It should be applied in cracks and crevices in a thin dusting so that the ants happen upon it and don’t walk around it. It acts as a dessicant and dries out their cuticle, thus killing them.
Another option are these (hold up example) tamper-proof baits. Most children and pets can’t get into the poison that is contained within this disk. To use, place them in the path of the ants, they’ll go in, take the poisoned bait back to the queen and feed it to her, thus killing the queen. If the queen is dead then soon the colony will be too. Problem solved.
At the very top of the pyramid are the “most risky” chemicals. These are sprays that kill on contact. They are broad spectrum, meaning they don’t target just one type of pest but will impact many, including the “good bugs”. Generally, they are also more toxic to non-targeted species and humans too.
For ants, there are sprays that are labeled with names like “ant killer” readily available. Some of these sprays are nerve toxins. But, if you remember that the ones you see are just workers, and the queen will make more workers if these don’t come home, then spraying the workers isn’t going to solve your problem. The queen will just keep making more. And meanwhile you have sprayed a toxic chemical and exposed yourself and others to potential health issues. So, for these reasons, the top of the pyramid is something to avoid: it won’t really solve the problem and these tactics are most toxic and dangerous.
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18. What is a Pesticide? “_____ - cide” means ”to kill”
Rodenticide (kills rodents)
Insecticide (kills insects)
Herbicide (kills plants)
Algicide (kills algae)
Plus “Anti-microbials” such as “Triclosan”
So far today, we’ve talked about pests and IPM. Part of an IPM program may include using a pesticide as was discussed with the “IPM Pyramid of Tactics”. As I’m sure you remember, it was the red section of the pyramid and potentially the most dangerous methods available for pest control.
So, what it a pesticide?
Read slide
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19. Pesticide Signal Words
Read Labels on Cleaning Products & Pesticides
Signal Word Toxicity Oral Lethal Dose
DANGER POISON Deadly Fatal if swallowed
(Skull & Crossbones)
DANGER Highly toxic Few drops to 1 tsp.
WARNING Moderately toxic 1 tsp. to 1 Tbsp.
CAUTION Slightly toxic 1 oz. to more than a pint
If you do decide to use a pesticide, one of the first things to look for on a pesticide label is the signal word.
Not all pesticides are created equally.
Every legally used pesticide is registered by the Environmental Protection Agency, along with many household cleaners (bleach, Lysol, Pine sol because they also “kill” something-germs, bacteria, viruses)
The toxicity of pesticides is tested and given an LD 50 and/or an LC 50. This is the lethal dose and/or lethal concentration at which 50% of the test population (tested usually on rats or rabbits) dies. This is then related to a 150 pound human male. One problem with this is that these chemicals may effect woman and children differently and in potentially more dangerous ways. Another problem with this test is that each chemical is tested independently from each other, even if the final product contains more than just the one chemical
After the LD 50 is tested, a “signal word” is assigned to the pesticide. You will find the signal word on the label. As part of an IPM plan, it is important to choose the least toxic product, if you need to use a pesticide at all.
Let’s take a look at these “signal words”
(read through chart and below)
DANGER POISON (skull & crossbones) means that it is fatal if swallowed, absorbed through the skin, or inhaled.
DANGER means that the pesticide product is highly toxic by at least one route of exposure. It may be corrosive, causing irreversible damage to the skin or eyes. Alternatively, it may be highly toxic if eaten, absorbed through the skin, or inhaled. If this is the case, then the word “POISON” must also be included in red letters on the front panel of the product label.
WARNING indicates the pesticide product is moderately toxic if eaten, absorbed through the skin, inhaled, or it causes moderate eye or skin irritation.
CAUTION means the pesticide product is slightly toxic if eaten, absorbed through the skin, inhaled, or it causes slight eye or skin irritation.
So, which signal words indicates the least toxic pesticide? (answer-caution)
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20. Illegal and Unmarked Pesticides
Pesticides that look like candy
Insecticide chalk
(a.k.a. Miraculous or Chinese chalk)
“Tres Pasitos”
These are three examples of illegal pesticides that people may find. EPA has not reviewed the dangers of these pesticides.
The first is a pesticide that looks like candy, but is mothballs. Additionally, there is no label explaining how they are to be safely used.
The second is Chinese chalk. People illegally use this unregistered pesticide to keep cockroaches out. But the chalk could seriously hurt people, especially children because it looks like chalkboard or sidewalk chalk.
The plastic baggy contains Tres Pasitos – “three little steps” in Spanish. That is how many steps the mice take after they eat it before they die. It is illegally imported, and sold on the street or in corner stores in unmarked bags.
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21. Pesticides are Dangerous for Children
Children are NOT little adults
Eat/drink/breathe more, pound per pound
“Live Low”
Have a lifetime of exposures to harmful
chemicals (starting from before birth)
It is important to remember that pesticides are dangerous for children.
Read slide.
In addition to these differences, children have hand-to-mouth behaviors. It is part of how they “explore” their environments and one of the senses they use. Unfortunately it is also one way for pesticides, which have settled to the ground and in their living and breathing space, to get into their systems.
Because of all of this, the environment has an impact on children’s health, especially fetuses and those under the age of six.
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22. Pesticides: Dangers with Pesticides – Children’s Health
Acute Exposure:
Asthma Attacks
Flu-like Symptoms
Vomiting
Dizziness
Unconsciousness
PESTICIDES AND HEALTH
A. Pesticides are poison.
Designed to interrupt basic life functions
- Works well on our target but gets complicated when we share similar biological processes – because it works on us too.
B. 2 Categories of Health Effects of Pesticide Exposure:
1. Acute:
- Acute exposure is lots of exposure all at once; like a child sitting in the room during spraying
- Symptoms may be mostly flu-like; but can be more serious such as an asthma attack
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23. Pesticides: Dangers with Pesticides – Children’s Health
Cancer
Develop-mental
Others?
Behavioral
Allergies
Brain Damage
Infertility
Asthma
Birth Defects
Long-Term Exposure:
Asthma
Cancer
Neurological damage
Immune system damage
Permanent chemical sensitivity
Endocrine disruption
PESTICIDES AND HEALTH
2.Chronic:
- Low-dose and long-term exposure is also known as chronic exposure
- Asthma incidence is different than asthma attacks
- Cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, brain cancer, soft-tissue sarcoma have been linked to certain pesticides
- Neurological damage (motor skills, reaction time, depression, anxiety, LD, aggression, hyperactivity)
- Immune suppression
- Permanent chemical sensitivity
One squirt of pesticide in the corner and we get all this?
- No, that’s not how it work.
- AND people are exposed to chemicals and pesticides in many ways including the use of air fresheners, antibacterial soap/products, and even in personal-care products such as toothpaste (some contain triclosan) .
But think: cancer rates have increased by at least 10% in the last ten years; learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorders are on a rapid rise and asthma is on a similar rise. Something is causing this – pesticides may not be THE cause, but are part of the cause.
When presented with opportunities to protect children – why shouldn’t we.
REMEMBER: CHILDREN ARE ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE.
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24. How are Children Exposed?
By what goes into their mouths (oral)
By what they touch (dermal)
By what they breathe (respiratory)
Even before they are born (pre-natal)
Read slide
Oral-food, water, toys/fingers/other objects put in mouth
Dermal-anything that comes in contact with and is absorbed through their skin
Respiratory-the air they breathe
Pre-natal-One study tracked 316 urban minority women, African American and Dominican, in NYC. The women wore an air sample monitor for 2 consecutive days during their 3rd trimester.
-100% had detectable levels of 3 insecticides (organophosphate chlorpyrifos)
-30% had levels of 8 additional insecticides
Blood samples were also taken from mothers and newborns at delivery. All had detectable levels of 3 insecticides, indicating that pesticides had been transferred from mother to fetus during pregnancy.
Additionally, levels of these insecticides in human umbilical cord plasma were shown to be inversely associated with birth weight, length and head circumference. So, the higher the level of insecticide detected in the cord plasma, the lower the birth weight, shorter the length and smaller the head circumference. This is important because small head size has been found to be predictive of cognitive ability. Prenatal exposures have also been shown to contribute to fetal growth deficits and to a decrease in brain DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid containing the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms) and RNA (Ribonucleic acid is one of the three major macromolecules that are essential for all known forms of life) synthesis.
Several other studies have confirmed these findings. This study and others accounted for other contributing factors to low birth weight and premature birth. Confounding factors accounted for in the study included smoking, income and alcohol consumption.)
Study citation:
An Intervention to Reduce Residential Insecticide Exposure during Pregnancy among an Inner-City Cohort
Megan K. Williams, Dana B. Barr, David E. Camann, Linda A. Cruz, Elizabeth J. Carlton, Mejico Borjas, Andria Reyes, Dave Evans, Patrick L. Kinney, Ralph D. Whitehead Jr., Frederica P. Perera, Stephen Matsoanne, and Robin M. Whyatt
Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA;
National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA;
Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA;
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
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25. Pesticide Risk: The Chemicals
USE NOT
Traps and Baits Sprays and Foggers
Less Risky
More Risky
As we’ve discussed, there are risks associated with using a chemical or a pesticide. So if you decide to use a pesticide it is less risky to use traps, baits, and gel, and more risky to use sprays and foggers.
PA IPM Program, PSCIP

26. Proper Storage?
At child’s level, under the sink, or in an unlocked cabinet? OR
Also important to remember is to protect children by the way we store chemicals, such as cleaners and pesticides.
(ASK) Where do people store these products?
(Discuss answers: under sink, etc.)
Because children are naturally curious, are good and fast climbers, and like to open and empty the contents of cabinets --- It is very important to store these products up high (at least 5 feet off the ground) and in a locked cabinet.
PA IPM Program, PSCIP

27. Important Points to Remember
PREVENTION and monitoring are essential steps to eliminating pest problems!
If you use a pesticide:
READ THE LABEL
The label is the LAW
Only a licensed pest control operator can apply a pesticide in a facility or a home-based childcare center
If you are going to use a pesticide it is important to READ THE LABEL. The label is a legal document and it is the LAW to follow it. There is important information on the label including directions on proper use, storage and disposal.
If you do hire a pest control operator, make sure they are properly licensed and insured. Ask them to follow an IPM plan. Ask them to use no sprays, foggers or aerosols in your facility. Ask them, if they are going to use a pesticide, to only use gels and the least toxic ones available. If you want to know more about the pesticide they want to use, including the known health effects, ask the PCO for the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). By law, they must give it to you upon request and it must be on their truck if they have the chemical on the truck.
Be an advocate for yourself and for the children.
PA IPM Program, PSCIP

28. Resources Poison Control Center: 1-800-222-1222
Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Sites:
City of Philadelphia, Streets Department
If you have a poisoning emergency you should call 911 if the person is unconscious or severely disoriented. You should also call the poison control center at This is a national 800 number but is answered by the closet poison control center. In Philadelphia it is answered at the CHOP. I recommend posting this number near phones and also putting it in your cell phone, because then you have it in case of an emergency.
Another resource is the City of Philadelphia’s household hazardous waste (HHW) drop-off sites. There are generally 6 sites throughout the city were HHW can be dropped-off on certain days. This year’s schedule is posted on the streets’ department website. This website contains information about what products are HHW and why it is crucial to dispose of them properly. It is ill-advised to dump any chemicals or medications down the drain or into the sewers. These sewers or storm drains go directly to the river with some going through the sewage treatment plants. However, many of the chemicals can not be removed and therefore end up back in the rivers---which are the sources of our drinking water.
PA IPM Program, PSCIP

29. Resources
PA IPM Program, PSCIP

30. Resources
IPM: A Toolkit for Early Care and Education Programs, UCSF School of Nursing
Toolkit
Individual factsheets
PA IPM Program, PSCIP

31. Resources Safer Pest Control Project
Phone:
Website:
Pennsylvania Integrated Pest Management (PA IPM) Program, PSCIP
Phone: Ext. 109
Website:
The PA IPM Program can also serve as an educational resource, with trained staff to provide free pest ID and to answer pest control questions.
Another resource for childcare facilities is the Safer Pest Control Project in Chicago. Childcare facilities in Illinois are mandated to practice IPM so SPC is able to answer questions specific to this setting.
PA IPM Program, PSCIP

32. The development of this training module was funded by a grant from:
The US Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA)
Pesticide Environmental
Stewardship Program (PESP)
PA IPM Program, PSCIP

33. Additional Trainings Pests and Children’s Health: Why IPM?
Pesticides and Alternatives
Developing an IPM Program for your Home-based or Center-based Facility
Implementing Your IPM Plan: Pest-Free, Safe Environment
PA IPM Program, PSCIP
PA IPM Program, PSCIP 33