[ti:Study: Home Cleaning Products May Cause Breathing Problems in Children] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]New parents who clean their homes very often to protect their babies [00:06.52]from bacteria and other organisms might want to cut back their efforts. [00:13.52]A new study suggests that high levels of contact with cleaning products [00:20.28]are linked to an increased risk of the childhood breathing condition known as asthma. [00:28.16]Researchers asked a group of parents how often they used 26 common household cleaners [00:37.20]during their babies' first three to four months of life. [00:43.00]By age three, the children who had come in contact with cleaning products the most were more likely to be diagnosed with asthma. [00:54.80]The researchers said that children who had a lot of contact with cleaners [01:00.88]were 37 percent more likely to have asthma than children with the least contact. [01:08.00]The study also found that a lot of exposure to cleaning products [01:13.64]caused children to be 35 percent more likely to have chronic difficulty breathing. [01:21.56]In addition, they were 49 percent more likely to have chronic allergies. [01:27.56]Tim Takaro, who helped lead the study, is a doctor with Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada. [01:37.12]He told the Reuters news service he understands that parents want to make their homes safe for their children. [01:46.92]But he suggests that they should question the belief [01:50.80]that their home is clean only if it smells like chemical-based cleaning products. [01:57.72]"Instead, we propose that the smell of a healthy home is no smell at all," said Takaro. [02:06.36]Takaro said parents should read labels and look for products that are free of substances like chemical colors and smells. [02:18.40]Also, they should consider natural cleaning products instead of chemical ones. [02:25.20]The study appeared in the medical publication CMAJ earlier this month. [02:32.52]The researchers wrote that the first months of life are very important [02:38.40]for development of the body's natural defenses, known as the immune system. [02:45.68]The same is true for the organs involved in breathing. [02:50.32]Chemicals in cleaning products can cause chronic inflammation that may lead to asthma. [02:57.80]It also may make symptoms appear more often and intensely, the researchers noted. [03:05.92]Asthma can be difficult to diagnose with breathing tests involving young children. [03:12.92]So researchers also tested the children's skin for allergies [03:18.12]and asked parents how often children experienced symptoms like trouble breathing. [03:25.40]The most commonly used cleaning products in the study were dishwashing soap, [03:31.68]multipurpose cleaners, glass cleaners and soap for washing clothes. [03:38.40]The American Lung Association recommends avoiding cleaning products that contain [03:45.16]volatile organic substances and other irritants. [03:49.80]But companies in Canada and the United States are not required to list all the chemicals in cleaning products. [03:59.16]Some products labeled as environmentally friendly, or "green," may contain harmful substances. [04:08.04]Elissa Abrams, who wrote comments on the study, is a doctor with the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada. [04:18.88]She admitted that the effects of cleaning products are not well understood. [04:24.44]But she believes these products and the chemicals they contain act as irritants to growing children. [04:32.60]Young children who spend a lot of time indoors may be at greater risk, said Abrams. [04:40.40]"The take-home message is that parents should be careful which cleaning products they use in the home," she added. [04:49.36]I'm Pete Musto. [04:51.40]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM