Text written in Basque and translated automatically by Elia without any subsequent editing. SEE ORIGINAL

Children and the environment

Environmental pollution and the foods we eat affect the health of adult humans, let alone children’s organisms. This is what the project called Inma was launched a few years ago in some corners of the state to investigate.

In our country, the research center was located in Gipuzkoa, in the hospital of Zumarraga. Since the beginning of the project, the pregnancy of more than 600 women, as well as children born later, has been monitored. The cognitive and psychomotor development of these children has been studied, taking into account the conditions of their native environment.

Markel arrives at the Field Aristi Cultural Center in Zumarraga. Today, both mother and son come to participate in the second phase of the project called INMA, one to answer questionnaires and the other to carry out development tests.

The aim of the INMA project is to study the potential impact of the environment on childhood. In order to study the impact of environmental pollutants on the development of the baby, the follow-up of pregnancy in women from 638 families and the development of children born later are investigated.

Ainara Andia; psychologist: We are now in the four-year, four-month phase of the project, and, well, I am a neuropsychologist in this phase, and my task is to study the cognitive and psychomotor development of the child.

Children who have reached the age of 1 year, 2 years and 4 years this year have been subjected to a series of tests. The McCarthy scale, which measures certain abilities, or the level of care, has been subjected to computerized tests to analyze the development of children.

In addition to direct contact with children, information on children is supplemented by questionnaires for teachers.

From Ainara Andia: The objective is to know if there is a relationship between the measurements that are made, both of pollution, diet and all other measurements; if there is a relationship in the cognitive or psychomotor development of the child.

Most of the work was done at the hospital. it started in 2006 with women who were three months pregnant. After informing about the study and offering the opportunity to participate, the follow-up and delivery of the pregnancy of the women who gave their consent was channeled from this hospital.

Amaia Ayerra (mother): When I was pregnant, the gynecologist proposed to us, or, well, told us how, through the hospital of Zumarraga, they had to start doing some research to the people in the area, to see what the consequences of the contamination could be, and if we were willing to participate. So, well, with all our initial concerns and doubts, we thought about participating.

In addition to tests performed on children at different times of the year, a sample of routine tests during pregnancy is also referred to this study. During childbirth, the mother ' s milk, placenta and/or urine have also been examined, and now, in addition to the neurobehavioral study performed on children, parents are questioned about their living habits.

Amaia Ayerra; the mother: Well, during pregnancy there are many questions, what we eat, how we move, the house, the conditions of the house, our sports or our daily actions; and then, well, we also give them the results of all the analyses, well, yes, the hair, the first nails of the child, and then they have gone a little bit from there.

The impact of the environment is the common concern of these families. In addition to knowing how much the relationship between the environment and childhood could be, they approach the homes of the project participants for more detailed monitoring.

Preview Azurmendi; mother of: Research with my daughter, if it should benefit future generations, then go ahead.

It seems to me that it is a huge project, I would say a megaproject; from the sample, we are a lot of people involved here and many variables are being measured. They're getting a lot of data. I think that now we are very well informed, they send us the results they are achieving; I think that with these results and the conclusions they will draw, well, for prevention campaigns, etc., they will be very useful. I have a very good opinion, I am very satisfied.

The scope of the INMA project is not limited to Gipuzkoa. Asturias, Valencia, Sabadell, Menorca, Ribera d’Ebre or Granada are also research areas or cohorts. Each community or region has been selected for its specific environmental characteristics, thus ensuring the possibility of comparing data.

José Mari Ibarzabala, Coordinator: There are differences between cohorts, which is very good for the questions we ask or for the analysis of hypotheses.

Regarding the results obtained, the researchers are in the process of confirming some previously generated hypotheses.

High levels of mercury have been found in large blue fish in the Biscay Sea and the Mediterranean, for example. Despite the importance attached to eating this type of food, they want to promote a prevention plan to reduce the doses among pregnant women.

José Mari Ibaraldia: We have the opportunity to see or measure more and more different and concrete things, and the participation is very good, one of the best if we compare it with the other cohorts.

The continuity of the INMA project is certified for the moment. Considering that the data obtained are an important means of deepening other areas of research, they would like to extend the follow-up of children up to the age of 14.

Two years from now, when Markel is 6, he will have to go back to the Campo Aristi cultural center in Zumarraga to do more samples and tests.