Health care providers and public health officials are increasingly asked to evaluate a child's health risk from long or short-term exposures to environmental agents. As children (and fetus) develop and grow, they pass through critical windows of susceptibility and are more vulnerable than adults to environmental toxicants. PEHSUs (Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units) are a network of academically based pediatricians, toxicologists, exposure scientists, and others capable of responding to requests for information and offering advice on prevention, diagnosis, management, and treatment of environmentally-related health effects in children. PEHSUs also provide training on pediatric environmental health, including translation of research findings into practice or policy for health care professionals, public health officials, community groups, and others.
The environmental history is an important tool to identify potentially significant environmental exposures. The environmental exposure history is enhanced by environmental measurements to characterize the intensity of environmental exposures. Following an introduction to pediatric environmental health, case examples from the University of Washington PEHSU will highlight the utility of exposure measurements in the determination of pediatric environmental health risks. Cases include exposure to petrochemicals in contaminated drinking water and soil, an indoor air quality problem in a public school and pesticides exposure due to spray drift. The environmental exposure history is critical to the identification of pediatric exposures of concern, and exposure evaluation enhances the risk assessment and risk communication. Funded by the CDC and EPA through an agreement with the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics, the PEHSU network is a useful pediatric environmental health resource.
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