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Do you have a child in daycare in Utah? If so, you need to know about radon gas and the effects it can have on your child’s health.
Radon is a radioactive gas that is created when uranium in the soil decays. As it breaks down, it releases the gas into the air, which can also rise into buildings through tiny pores, cracks, and joints in the foundation. Unlike other dangerous gases, radon can’t be detected by our senses, and you can only know your home’s radon level by performing a test.
Radon is incredibly dangerous because it can change the DNA in your lungs and cause lung cancer. In fact, radon exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, and most people don’t know they’ve been exposed until they receive a stage three or four lung cancer diagnosis. Additionally, radon exposure has been linked to childhood leukemia and attention deficit disorders, and radon can potentially harm brain development in adolescents.
Radon is especially dangerous for children because they have a higher respiratory rate than adults, so they breathe in more radon. In addition to exposure in their schools, they also often have bedrooms and playrooms on the lowest level of a home, which is also the part of the home that will have the highest radon level.
There are currently no laws in Utah that require daycares or schools to test for radon, even though 50% of homes have high radon levels. 12 other states require radon testing and/or mitigation in childcare centers, and it’s important for Utah to follow suit, especially since radon is so prevalent across the entire state.
Recently, a local parent contacted their child’s school district to request radon testing, and that district now performs biannual testing. Until the state laws catch up, parents can have a big impact on their communities and the health of children at school and daycare.
We encourage you to reach out to your child’s daycare center to ask about any radon testing they have performed.
“Hi [name of daycare center contact], my name is [your name] and my child goes to [daycare name]. I recently learned that over 70,000 schoolrooms and 50% of Utah homes have high radon levels, and I’m concerned about my child being exposed at daycare. Radon exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and can lead to childhood leukemia, among other illnesses. Weber School District recently implemented regular radon testing after hearing concerns from a mom in their district, and I’m hoping you can get me in contact with someone who can help us do the same in the daycare. What would be the next best step?”
Finally, if you have not tested your home for radon in the last two years, you can request a test here.
