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By Veronica Beltran

cleaning products link to asthma in children

SFU research says link between household cleaning products and respiratory problems in infants

Feb 26, 2020 | 1:53 PM

VANCOUVER–New research out of Simon Fraser University shows that frequent exposure to household cleaning products can increase a child’s risk of developing asthma.

The study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal discovered that young children living in homes where household cleaners were more likely to develop childhood wheeze and asthma by the age of three.

“Our study looked at infants, who typically spend 80-90 percent 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.” – Dr. Tim Takaro, Professor and Clinician-scientist in the Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University

At the age of three children living in homes where cleaning products were highly used were more likely to develop a recurrent wheeze and asthma. The findings discovered that at the age of three girls showed stronger signs of respiratory problems over boys, something Takaro says needs more research to be better understood.

“Interestingly, we did not find an association between the use of cleaning products and a risk of atopy alone,” says Dr. Takaro.

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“Therefore, a proposed mechanism underlying these findings is that chemicals in cleaning products damage the cells that line the respiratory tract through innate inflammatory pathways rather than acquired allergic pathways.”

The study also found that respiratory issues were higher in homes that frequently used certain products such as liquid or solid air fresheners, plug-in deodorizers, dusting sprays, antimicrobial hand sanitizers and oven cleaners.

The study took data from 2,022 children.