Prenatal pesticide exposure is linked to childhood cough

US researchers have found a linkage between commonly used pesticide additive piperonyl butoxide (PBO) and cough in childhood. The study has found that children exposed to the pesticide additive in their mother's womb have more likelihood of non-infectious cough in the age of five or six years.

The PBO is an organic compound that is added to pyrethroid pesticides. This pesticide is commonly used for pest control. It is also part of a large number of household insecticides that includes sprays and lice treatment shampoos.

The findings of this study from Columbia Centre for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH), support the fact that the children's respiratory system is prone to be damaged from toxic exposures during the prenatal period. Childhood cough can alter daytime activities and may make sound sleep difficult for both, child and parents.

Accordingly, Rachel Miller and colleagues from the CCCEH of the Columbia University Medical Centre, sought to study the effects of subsequent exposure to PBO during childhood, reports the journal Environment International.

As a part of this study, the researchers looked at 224 mother-child pairs enrolled in the CCCEH birth cohort study of environmental exposures. The teams also examined the measures of PBO and pyrethroid in personal air monitors worn by the mothers during pregnancy, says CCCEH statement.

During study the researchers also collected air samples from the home over the two weeks when children were between five and six years old. They also used questionnaires to evaluate respiratory results.

The researchers reached at the conclusion that children exposed to PBO during pregnancy had increased risk of reporting cough unrelated to cold or flu. Exposures to PBO during childhood were not found to be a reason for developing childhood cough.

--with inputs from IANS