Re: Children of Chernobyl

["Dr. Marvin Goldman" <mgoldman@ucdavis.edu>]

>Dear Steve:
>     We report on the matter in Environmenal Health Perspectives for
>children and adults immigrating to Israel vol103: 936-941, 1995.  Dr.
>Ella Kordysh is the Senior author.  In general, loss of hair due to
>radiation exposure is reversible.  Referring to the two months after
>exposure, hair loss was reported by Males in 7 adults,(6.5%) in the more
>exposed area  and in 10 (6.1%) in the less exposed area. For females
>the frequency and (Proportions) were 19 (9.5% ) in more exposed and 28
>(9.1) from less exposed.  For male children from the more exposed area 3
>(2,0%) and 1 (0.8%) from less exposed; for girls 7 (4.1%) in the more
>exposed and 7 (4.8) from the less exposed areas.  Since the criteria for
>more and less exposed weere based on 137Cs in soil, we wouldn't expect
>direct effects of such radiation.  More relevant for adults would be
>history of hair loss in relation to exposure among clean-up workers
>(liquidators). This report is in print, Int. J. Occup. and Environ.
>Health. gjohn @BGUMAIL.BGU.AC.IL
>John Goldsmith, M.D., Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel
>
>
>
>On Wed, 26 Feb 1997 SHWRL@ccmail.ceco.com wrote:
>
>>      A couple of years ago there was a documentary called "The Children of
>>      Chernobyl", shown on the Discovery Channel.  In the film they focused
>>      on the occurrence of the loss of hair among children from the region.
>>      They indicated that there was no cure and that doctors were not able
>>      to determine the exact cause.
>>
>>      If anybody has any additional information or thoughts on this and
>>      would like to share with RADSAFE subscribers please do.
>>
>>      Thank you,
>>      Steve
>>
John:
Are you saying that any children near Chernobyl received epilating doses of
radiation.  I know of no such exposures to children.  Fallout at that level
would have been accompained by much early lethality.  Please clarify.
Marvin Goldman
mgoldman@ucdavis.edu