Environmental hazards are among the top health concerns many parents have for their children. Furthermore, children are often more vulnerable than adults to hazards in the environment because they breathe more air, consume more food and drink more water than adults do, in proportion to their weight. The brief summaries provided here compile information from the AAP’s Pediatric Environmental Health policy manual, policy documents and other resources. Learn the key points and receive clinical guidance on the important child health topics below.

To download a complete set of PDF versions of these information sheets, click here. 

Why Children’s Environmental Health Matters

During certain critical windows of time, exposure to environmental toxicants can lead to irreversible damage.

Taking an Environmental History

Learning more about a child’s environment allows pediatricians to identify possible exposures and prevent severe illness or injury.

Arsenic

Children are at increased risk of exposure to arsenic because they eat more food, breathe more air and drink more water per pound of body weight than adults.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless and tasteless toxic gas. Help families identify possible CO sources within their homes.

Climate Change

Pediatricians can take action to protect their practices and their patients from the effects of climate change and advocate for greater adoption of cleaner forms of energy.

Food Safety

Foodborne illness is a common occurrence and many chemicals can be found in foods sold in the US.

Lead

Lead impacts the developing brain, organs, blood, bones and reproductive tract.

Indoor Air Pollutants

Indoor air quality affects children’s health. Work with families to identify possible indoor air pollutants and discuss steps to reduce or eliminate exposure to these pollutants.

Insect Repellants

Bites from mosquitoes, biting flies and other insects can be irritating to children, and, in some cases, can cause serious illness.

Noise

Excessive noise exposure is an underrecognized individual and public health problem that affects people of all ages.

Outdoor Air Pollution

Ambient air pollution is increasingly recognized as a preventable risk factor for a spectrum of pediatric health concerns.

Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

PFAS are a large group of human-made chemicals produced in the US since the 1950s. They have been used in thousands of products due to their resistance to water, oil, fire, stains and friction.

Personal Care Products

Personal care products like soap, cosmetics and sunscreen may contain chemicals that can potentially impact health.

Pesticides

Pesticides are used widely in homes, businesses and agriculture. Parents and families can take steps to help reduce children’s potential exposure to pesticides.

Plastic Additives

Plasticizers are common additives in plastic and rubber materials, and families can take steps to decrease their exposure to plasticizers.

Ultraviolet Radiation

Reducing overexposure to UVR is a key step needed to reduce the risk of skin cancer and other adverse health effects.

 

This document was supported in part through cooperative agreement OT18-1802 awarded to the American Academy of Pediatrics and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Environmental Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The contents of this publication are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the US Department of Health and Human Services.

AAP Resources

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Last Updated

01/25/2024

Source

American Academy of Pediatrics