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Asthma
Exposure to Household and Agricultural Pesticides
Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Disorders
Researchers at the Children's Centers have published a number of significant research results. Here are some examples:
- USC Children’s Center researchers found that a diet high in antioxidants can reduce susceptibility to respiratory illness, while in areas with heavily polluted air, children who compete in several sports are nearly four times more likely than non-athletic children to be diagnosed with asthma.
- Johns Hopkins researchers found that genetic
susceptibility may be an important risk
factor for asthma. - Researchers at Mt. Sinai observed an association between exposure to an organophosphate pesticide and small head circumference in some newborns, and have shown that integrated pest management (IPM) program may help prevent asthma.
- Research at the Columbia University Children’s Center has demonstrated that prenatal exposure to urban air pollutants may cause genetic alterations in children while they are still in the womb.
- University of Iowa researchers found that the prevalence and severity of asthma in rural children appears to be similar to that of children in urban areas.
- UC Berkeley researchers found that children whose mothers had high pesticide levels show reduced performance on developmental tests.
- Researchers at the University of Illinois have found that the combined effect of exposure to PCBs and mercury appears to affect motor function more than each separately, while Harvard researchers are studying the combined effects of exposure to chemical mixtures on children.
- Researchers at UMDNJ and at UC Davis are finding that genetic susceptibility and exposure to environmental factors may increase the risk and severity of autism and have developed new animal models to study such neurobehavioral disorders.
- Epidemiology
- Increased levels of ozone and particulate matter (PM) are associated with worsening pulmonary function for asthmatic children in Detroit.
- Long-term exposure to air pollution leads to reduced lung function growth
- The prevalence and severity of asthma in rural children appears to be similar to that of children in many urban areas (17-22%).
- Infection with RSV, a common virus, in the first year of life increases the risk of developing asthma.
- Prenatal exposures to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are associated with respiratory symptoms, and an association between such exposures and immunological response is evident by age two.
- In utero exposure to maternal smoking and early exposure to environmental tobacco smoke have a significant adverse effect on children’s airway disease.
- Genetic susceptibility may be an important risk factor for asthma.
- Prenatal exposure to combustion-related urban air pollutants (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs) appears to cause genetic alterations in babies in the womb. This is the first study to show environmental exposure to pollutants during pregnancy can cause a significant increase in genetic abnormalities, which have been linked in other studies to increased risk of cancer.
- Environmental Triggers and Prevention
- Probable asthma triggers include ozone and diesel PM from traffic, urban PM, environmental tobacco smoke, endotoxins and pesticides. Smoking cessation and keeping children away from environmental tobacco smoke should be a focus of asthma prevention.
- A diet rich in antioxidants enhances lung growth and appears to reduce susceptibility to respiratory illness.
- A questionnaire developed by one of the Centers can identify children with asthma, then provide appropriate recommendations on how to improve the environment of those children.
Exposure to Household and Agricultural Pesticides
Related Centers and Research Projects- Exposure Research
- Maternal pesticide exposure appears to be nearly universal and pesticides can be readily transferred from mother to fetus.
- An association has been observed between prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos, an organophosphate pesticide, and small head circumference in mothers with lowered ability to detoxify these pesticides.
- Children with mothers who had high pesticide levels at delivery show indications of being “hyper-alert” and show reduced performance on development tests.
- Adverse birth outcomes are associated with prenatal exposure to pesticides and other environmental contaminants.
- New lab and field research methods using techniques like GIS (Geographic Information Services) have been developed to allow improved tracking and understanding of time and location information for children during their daily activities
- Exposure Prevention
- Teaching children to wash produce and their hands before
eating can help prevent pesticide exposure for children of
agricultural workers. Washing work clothes separately from
the family’s laundry also helps prevent children’s exposure
to pesticides in agricultural families.
- University of Washington
- For Healthy Kids! ¡Para Niños Saludables! Bilingual
Pesticide Education Materials (English/Spanish)
–
prepared by the University of Washington Children's
Center showing how to protect yourself and your family
from exposure to harmful pesticides.
- One of the Centers has developed an environmental health curriculum that is being included as part of prenatal care for low-income women in California.
- Teaching children to wash produce and their hands before
eating can help prevent pesticide exposure for children of
agricultural workers. Washing work clothes separately from
the family’s laundry also helps prevent children’s exposure
to pesticides in agricultural families.
- Integrated Pest Management (IPM), which involves primarily nonchemical pest control measures, has been shown to be effective in reducing insect populations and cockroach allergen levels and may help prevent asthma.
Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Disorders
Related Centers and Research Projects- Prenatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) appears to produce persistent decreases in intelligence and alternations in behavior.
- Researchers are testing children to see whether consistently low blood lead levels will translate into higher IQ test scores.
- Researchers are also studying the effects of PCBs and methyl mercury on cognitive, sensory and motor development in children. Studies are organized around a population of Hmong and Laotian refugees who consume PCB- and mercury-contaminated fish. Preliminary results suggest that combined exposure to PCBs and methyl mercury has a greater effect on motor function than either chemical alone.
- Researchers are examining how genetic susceptibility and exposure to environmental toxicants could increase the risk and severity of autism. They are using innovative methods to discover how environmental factors could contribute to abnormal social behavior in children, and to find new strategies for intervention and prevention of autism.
- Some PCBs may stimulate cellular responses to a greater degree in autistic children than in other children.
- Mice exposed to sodium valproate, a medication associated with increased autism risk, exhibit many behavioral defects including retardation, which can be used as an animal model to study autistic-like behavior
Children's Health continues to be a research priority for EPA's STAR grant program. Previous research solicitations have encouraged proposals in children's valuation, exposure methods and assessments, longitudinal studies, and the development and application of biomarkers of children's exposure, susceptibility, or effects related to environmental threats. See the website for the National Center for Environmental Research at http://www.epa.gov/ncer for more information.
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