Ecological Aspects of Children Health in Astrakhan Region: Review

Abstract

The review of the literature is mostly based on its own research and is devoted to the influence of natural (bottomland, 28 m below sea level, climate conditions with severe changes in temperature during the year, biogeochemical province with moderate iodine deficiency) and anthropogenic (increased air, water and soil pollution) environmental factors on children’s health in the Astrakhan region. The impact of the Astrakhan gas condensate field on the health condition is shown: growing number of children with physical and psychomotor disorders, imbalance in cellular and humoral immunity factors, growing number of frequently ill children with problems in adaptation to kindergartens and schools. The influence of vehicles on environmental pollution, frequency of allergic diseases among children (asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis), and degraded quality of life was noted. There is the negative situation with water sources: samples from main Volga riverbed show both non-organic and organic contamination. Contamination of drinking water is considered as serious factor increasing the incidence of atopic pathology. The correlation between the prevalence of atopic dermatitis and soil contamination with benzapyrene on the territory of these children residence was revealed. Complex influence of iodine deficiency and adverse anthropogenic factors leads to abnormal children’s blood composition: development of erythrocytosis, leukocytosis, inhibition of hemoglobin synthesis function, lymphopenia. The incidence of diffusenodular endemic goiter, subclinical hypothyroidism and thyroiditis can increase as well. It is necessary to develop prevention and rehabilitation measures for children diseases associated with combined adverse effect of natural and anthropogenic factors in the Astrakhan region.