| Popis: |
Environmental problems are a constant matter of public debate. Politicians, officials, journalists, "greenish" and seriously concerned activists and groupings, and patients who correctly or erroneously think that the environment is doing them harm, occupy the scene. The medical profession takes part only marginally in these discussions because such matter has not been and is hardly being taught at universities. Which are the topics, and which of them are of real concern? Table 1 sorts out important and ephemeral problems. Asbestos, dioxines, and electromagnetic fields today constitute no important threat to children's health. Undisposable nuclear waste, the ongoing destruction of forests, and the ever increasing volume of traffic definitely are hazardous for future generations. As a rule, pediatricians are unable to answer the related questions. The German Academy of Pediatrics in 1991 has therefore constituted a Commission on Environmental 9 Questions and a Center for Documentation and Information on Environmental Questions (DISU, Dokumentationsund Informationsstelle far Umweltfragen). Availability of literature and access to electronic data systems facilitate the function of these services. Their core resource is, however, the knowledge and judgement of the full time biochemist (M. O.), and the supporting pediatrician (K. E. v. M.), ably assisted by the secretary (Sabine Lilm). They try to see that the flood of relevant data is chanelled, screened, and made publicly available. Data sheets for recurrent inquiries (amalgam, asbestos, ozone, electromagnetic fields etc.) have been tailored. Much of this ready information has been published in the German literatm'e. Table 1 List of currently discussed environmental problems. In bold letters: environmental hazards that are or may be impairing children's health today. Underlined: problems threatening to damage irrevocably the conditions of life on earth. The remaining items are of minor importance |
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