Title: Children's Environmental Health
Headings: Children's Environmental Health
Children's Environmental Health
Introduction
Fact Sheets
Children’s Health – Why the Environment Matters
What is NIEHS Doing?
NIEHS Research Efforts
Further Reading
Stories from the Environmental Factor (NIEHS Newsletter)
Podcasts
Additional Resources
Related Health Topics

Content: 3 Other NIEHS-funded researchers have found that higher arsenic exposure in school-aged children in rural Bangladesh also have an altered immune response, and a decreased response to the mumps vaccine. 4
Autism and children’s exposure – NIEHS-supported research linked genetics and air pollution exposure during pregnancy to increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). 5, 6 Other NIEHS-funded researchers discovered pregnant mothers exposed to pesticides or experiencing inflammation from ailments such as infections, diabetes, or obesity also have a higher chance of having a child with ASD. 7, 8
Childhood exposure to lead – NIEHS-funded research suggests that even low levels of lead in children’s blood is associated with increased behavioral effects, delayed puberty, and decreased hearing, cognitive performance, and postnatal growth or height. 9 Other NIEHS-funded work found lower IQ scores, decreased academic achievement, and increased behavioral problems and attention-related behaviors correlated with lead exposure. 10
Air pollution and children’s health – One study, funded in part by NIEHS, reports links between prenatal exposure to air pollution and subsequent effects on children’s brain structures, as shown by brain imaging with MRI technology. 11
Asthma and allergies – Scientists are still researching what may initially cause asthma. In one study, infants living in homes with high levels of mold from water-damaged buildings were more likely to develop asthma by age seven. 12
E-Waste and health – NIEHS researchers study the effectiveness of recycling discarded electronic waste globally to reduce both exposures to harmful substances and health problems in pregnant women and children. 13
National Toxicology Program (NTP) studies on crumb rubber – The health risks of crumb rubber are unknown.