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News Stories
Study Improves our Understanding of Dietary Sources of ArsenicA study advancing the understanding of the dietary sources of human exposure to arsenic has just been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) by a team of scientists from the EPA/NIEHS Children’s Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Center at Dartmouth College (Dartmouth Children’s Center).
[Read More]
EPA STAR researcher receives the 2011 John Goldsmith Award for Outstanding Contributions to Environmental EpidemiologyISEE awarded the 2011 John Goldsmith Award for Outstanding Contributions to Environmental Epidemiology to Dr. Hertz-Picciotto for her groundbreaking research on autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders affecting growing numbers of children worldwide.
[Read More]
News Media Alerts Pregnant Women to be Cautious about Pesticide Exposures
The news media including ABC World News with Diane Sawyer, ABC's Good Morning America, and NPR's All Things Considered, reported on the three NIEHS and EPA STAR research studies published in Environmental Health Perspectives last week.
[Read More]
The news media including ABC World News with Diane Sawyer, ABC's Good Morning America, and NPR's All Things Considered, reported on the three NIEHS and EPA STAR research studies published in Environmental Health Perspectives last week.
[Read More]
Prenatal Exposure to Organophosphate Pesticides Associated with IQ Deficits in School-age ChildrenThree independent investigations published online ahead of print in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP), all reached similar conclusions, associating prenatal exposure to organophosphate (OP) pesticides with IQ deficits in school-age children.
[Read More]
Protecting Children's Health for a Lifetime: Environmental Health Research Meets Clinical Practice and Public Policy Conference on October 19-20th, 2010 in Washington DC(October 19, 2010) - The EPA/NIEHS Children's Centers are holding a joint public meeting with the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs) to discuss recent developments in children's environmental health research, and how this research can be used by medical practitioners, policy makers and the public.
[Read More]
EPA STAR Research Shapes TIME Article on Fetal Origins(September 28, 2010) - This month’s cover story in TIME magazine “How the first nine months shape the rest of your life” by Annie Murphy Paul, presents claims and findings of numerous researchers about fetal origins (the study of fetal exposures and their impacts on developmental health and disease).
[Read More]
A Link Between Pesticides and Attention Disorders?(August 19, 2010) - Prenatal exposure to pesticides may be delaying kids' nervous-system development, leading to attention problems later in life, a new study finds.
[Read More]
Researchers and Results from Children's Centers Featured in CNN's "Toxic America" Series(July 28, 2010) - Researchers and results from the Columbia and Mount Sinai Children's Centers were featured in CNN's "Toxic America series" in a segment about toxic chemicals being present in the womb and how that may affect development of the fetus and young child. The story features a study from the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH) which since 1998 has measured levels of potentially harmful chemicals in the environment of hundreds of pregnant women and found these same chemicals in the cord blood that supplies the fetus and could affect children's development.
[Read More]
New Survey says California's Child Care Centers not Notifying Parents of Pesticide Use(July 21, 2010) The Mercury News -- A new survey of California's child care centers found that more than half of them are ignoring state regulations to notify parents that they are using potentially dangerous pesticides.
[Read More]
Flame Retardants May Alter Hormones of Pregnant Women(June 21, 2010) - High levels of brominated flame retardants can alter pregnant women’s thyroid hormones, which are critical to a baby’s growth and brain development, according to a California study.
[Read More]
Common Pesticide Tied to Development Delays in Kids(March 19, 2010) (HealthDay News) -- The pesticide chlorpyrifos is associated with delays in the physical and mental development of young children, a new study shows.
[Read More]
Pesticide Chlorpyrifos Is Linked to Childhood Developmental Delays
(March 18, 2010) New York City - Exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifoswhich is banned for use in U.S. households but is still widely used throughout the agricultural industryis associated with early childhood developmental delays, according to a study by researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
[Read More]
(March 18, 2010) New York City - Exposure to the pesticide chlorpyrifoswhich is banned for use in U.S. households but is still widely used throughout the agricultural industryis associated with early childhood developmental delays, according to a study by researchers at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
[Read More]
Use of Acetaminophen in Pregnancy Associated with Increased Asthma Symptoms in Children
(February 4, 2010) New York City - Children who were exposed to acetaminophen prenatally were more likely to have asthma symptoms at age five in a study of 300 African-American and Dominican Republic children living in New York City. Building on prior research showing an association between both prenatal and postnatal acetaminophen and asthma, this is the first study to demonstrate a direct link between asthma and an ability to detoxify foreign substances in the body. The findings were published this week in the journal Thorax.
[Read More]
(February 4, 2010) New York City - Children who were exposed to acetaminophen prenatally were more likely to have asthma symptoms at age five in a study of 300 African-American and Dominican Republic children living in New York City. Building on prior research showing an association between both prenatal and postnatal acetaminophen and asthma, this is the first study to demonstrate a direct link between asthma and an ability to detoxify foreign substances in the body. The findings were published this week in the journal Thorax.
[Read More]
Prenatal Exposure to Flame Retardant Compounds Affects Neurodevelopment of Young Children
(January 19, 2010) New York City — Prenatal exposure to ambient levels of flame retardant compounds called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental effects in young children, according to researchers at the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
[Read More]
(January 19, 2010) New York City — Prenatal exposure to ambient levels of flame retardant compounds called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental effects in young children, according to researchers at the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
[Read More]
The Seed - Winter 2010
(Winter 2010) The Seed — Greetings from CHAMACOS! The project is now in its 12th year! We are very grateful to our participating families and community partners for your ongoing support. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with you and watching the CHAMACOS children grow. We couldn't do this without the commitment of our partners and participating families.
[Read More (PDF) (4 pp, 272 K) | En Español (PDF) ( 4pp, 275 K)]
(Winter 2010) The Seed — Greetings from CHAMACOS! The project is now in its 12th year! We are very grateful to our participating families and community partners for your ongoing support. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with you and watching the CHAMACOS children grow. We couldn't do this without the commitment of our partners and participating families.
[Read More (PDF) (4 pp, 272 K) | En Español (PDF) ( 4pp, 275 K)]
Study Provides Evidence that Prenatal Exposure to Environmental PAHs May Be Linked to Lower Children’s IQ Scores(July 30, 2009)
- The Columbia University Center for Childrens Environmental Health (CCCEH), co-funded by grants through EPA's Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program and the National Center for Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), has published a study in the August 2009 issue of the journal Pediatrics finding evidence of a link between levels of a common urban air pollutant and childrens IQ test scores.
[Read More]
Kids' lower IQ scores linked to prenatal pollution
(July 20, 2009)
Researchers for the first time have linked air pollution exposure before birth with lower IQ scores in childhood, bolstering evidence that smog may harm the developing brain. [Read More]
(July 20, 2009)
Researchers for the first time have linked air pollution exposure before birth with lower IQ scores in childhood, bolstering evidence that smog may harm the developing brain. [Read More]
Are some chemicals more dangerous at low doses?(April 3, 2009)
There are some 82,000 chemicals used commercially in the U.S., but only a fraction have been tested to make sure they're safe and just five are regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), according to congressional investigators. [Read More]
Translating Science to Policy: Protecting Childrens Environmental Health(March 30, 2009)
- Over 400 scientists, public officials, community leaders, and advocates for environmental health attended the Columbia Center for Childrens Environmental Health (CCCEH) and WE ACT for Environmental Justice (WE ACT) March 30 conference on Translating Science to Policy: Protecting Childrens Environmental Health.
[Read More]
Indoor Air Particles Increase Asthma Symptoms in Children(February 26, 2009)
- Researchers at Johns Hopkins found a direct correlation between increasing concentrations of particulate matter (PM) in indoor air and increased asthma symptoms in preschool children. Funded in part by a grant from EPAs Science to Achieve Results program and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), the study, published in the February issue of Environmental Health Perspectives, evaluated 150 inner city children with asthma in the Baltimore metropolitan area.
[Read More]
Pollution link to asthma in womb
(February 15, 2009)
(February 15, 2009)
- Traffic pollution causes genetic changes in the womb which increase a child's risk of developing asthma, research suggests.
[Read More]
Two Funding Opportunities Now Open under EPA and NIEHS Joint Children's Environmental Health Centers Program
(January 23, 2009)
(January 23, 2009)
- NIEHS and EPA have jointly issued two funding opportunities to support the next phase of the Childrens Environmental Health Research Centers (CEHCs) program.
[Read More]
Ten Years of Addressing Children's Health through Regulatory Policy(December 3, 2008)
- Devon Payne-Sturges of USEPA's National Center for Environmental Research analyzes the impact of EO13045 and its related children's health policies on EPA's regulatory process in the December issue of Environmental Health Perspectives.
[Read More]
EPA Knows More about Children's Environmental Health Than Ever(March 3, 2008)
- EPA has published a research summary report called: A Decade of Children’s Health Research. This report summarizes important research findings found from $127 million invested in research grants on children’s environmental health in response to an executive order issued in 1997.
[Read More]
EPA-funded Researchers Receive New Awards
(October 4, 2007)
(October 4, 2007)
- Three researchers funded by EPA recently received prestigious awards to form new study centers related to the impacts of the environment on children's health. The awards were announced by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Washington, DC, as the kick-off to launch the National Children's Study (NCS). A total of 22 study centers were announced. [Read More]
NIH Announces Addition of 22 New Centers in National Children's Study
(October 4, 2007)
(October 4, 2007)
- A media telephone briefing to announce the 22 new study centers that will manage 26 locations of the National Children's Studythe largest study on the effects of environmental and genetic factors on child and adult health. [Read More]
Proceedings of the 2007 Children's Environmental Health Workshop: Discover, Treat, Prevent, Prepare
(October 10 - 13, 2007)
(October 10 - 13, 2007)
- This workshop brings together the expertise and experience of the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSU) of North America and the Children’s Environmental Health Centers to explore the latest research findings and their practical application in community settings. This workshop is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (Office of Research and Development and Office of Children’s Health Protection and Environmental Education), the Department of Health and Human Services (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences), and the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics in recognition of 10 years of federal effort to protect children’s environmental health as called for in Executive Order 13045, Protection of Children from Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks. This anniversary provides the children’s environmental health community with an opportunity to reflect on the progress that has been made and to formulate our vision for the future of children’s environmental health. [Read More]
EPA and NIEHS Award $7.5M Grant to UC Davis for Renewed Autism Research
(Wednesday, August 8, 2007)
(Wednesday, August 8, 2007)
- To continue federal progress on research on autism, EPA and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) announced renewed funding for The University of California/Davis’s Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCEH) on August 8, 2007. This Center will investigate how genes and exposure to environmental chemicals during fetal development may play a role in the development of autism. [Read More]
- Daily Democrat (August 8, 2007)
Autism grant being awarded to UC Davis
- Additional News Coverage
News Coverage
Duke University to Study Environmentally Driven Disparities in Birth Outcomes
(Tuesday, May 15, 2007)
(Tuesday, May 15, 2007)
- Duke University has been awarded a new Children’s Center grant (and the first fully funded by EPA) to study why the number of babies born prematurely or with low birth weight are higher in the South than in other parts of the U.S. The new Center is named the Southern Center on Environmentally Driven Disparities in Birth Outcomes (SCEDDBO). [Read More]
UC Davis Children's Center Collaborates on Research Demonstrating that Noncoplanar PCBs Cause Brain Development Abnormalities in Rodents
(Thursday, May 3, 2007)
(Thursday, May 3, 2007)
- Scientists at the University of California at San Francisco, working with scientists at the University of California at Davis Children's Center, have shown that exposure to noncoplanar PCBs can cause deficits in the developing brain which lowers the capacity to learn in response to sound. The levels used were comparable to those seen in children exposed to high levels of PCBs in the environment. [Read More]
UMDNJ Children's Center Develops New Tests to Detect Autism, Patents Novel Lipid Treatment Options
(The Star-Ledger, Sunday, February 18, 2007)
(The Star-Ledger, Sunday, February 18, 2007)
- A team of scientists at the UMDNJ Children’s Center has found possible ways to detect biological risk factors for autism through urine and blood tests, a discovery that could lead to groundbreaking medical treatments for the neurological disorder. [Read More]
University of Cincinnati Children’s Center Finds Exposure to Lead and Prenatal Tobacco Smoke Linked to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
(Thursday, October 5, 2006)
(Thursday, October 5, 2006)
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Researchers from the University of Cincinnati Children’s Center have found an association between children’s blood lead levels, prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke (maternal smoking during pregnancy), and a diagnosis of ADHD. [Read More]
USC/UCLA Children's Center Finds that Children Living Near Busy Roads More Likely to Develop Asthma Symptoms
(New York Times, Tuesday, May 9, 2006)
(New York Times, Tuesday, May 9, 2006)
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Children living near busy roads are likely to be at increased risk for developing asthma symptoms, according to results from the USC/UCLA Children's Center. [Read More]
Dr. Philip Landrigan of Mt. Sinai Children's Center Named Children's Environmental Health Champion.
(Thursday, April 20, 2006) 
(Thursday, April 20, 2006)
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The 2006 Children's Environmental Health Champion award has been presented by EPA's Office of Children's Health Protection to Philip J. Landrigan, M.D., M.Sc., who is a co-Principal Investigator of the Mt. Sinai Children's Center in New York City.
Dr. Landrigan is a pediatrician and the Ethel H. Wise Professor and Chair of the Department of Community and Preventive Medicine of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. He holds a Professorship in Pediatrics at Mount Sinai and directs the Mount Sinai Center for Children’s Health and the Environment and the Mount Sinai Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit. [Read More]
UC Davis Children's Center Finds Signaling Disruptions in Mouse Cells from Mercury-Containing Vaccine Preservative
(Thursday, April 20, 2006)
(Thursday, April 20, 2006)
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Researchers at the University of California at Davis Children's Center have found that low levels of thimerosal -- a vaccine preservative containing ethylmercury -- disrupt the signaling system between mouse dendritic (immune system) cells when observed in cell culture dishes. [Read More]
UC Berkeley and University of Washington Children's Centers Find Susceptibility to Pesticides is Highly Variable Among Latina Women and Children
(March 2, 2006)
(March 2, 2006)
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Some children may be 26 to 50 times more susceptible to exposure to certain organophosphate (OP) pesticides than other newborns, and 65 to 130 times more sensitive than some adults, according to a new study from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Washington Children's Centers. The study, published in the journal Pharmacogenetics and Genomics, reveals far greater variability in susceptibility to pesticides than previously predicted. [Read More]
University of Washington Researcher Profiled in Seattle Times Magazine
Steve Ringman/The Seattle Times
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Gloria Coronado, an epidemiologist and researcher with the University of Washington Children's Center, is the subject of a recent profile in the Seattle Times Sunday magazine, Pacific Northwest. The article describes Coronado's career development and her work to document and understand the effects of pesticides on farmworkers and their families. She is also developing outreach programs to help prevent pesticide-related illness among this population.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/pacificnw01082006/coverstory.html
Columbia Children’s Environmental Health Research Center Featured in Discover Magazine
(March 2, 2006)
(March 2, 2006)
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The March 2006 issue of Discover magazine features research from the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health, based at the Columbia University School of Public Health in New York City. The article entitled “Toxic Inheritance: Is There Cancer in this Photo?” describes the “Mothers and Newborns Study” that enrolled over 700 women from North Manhattan and the South Bronx. [Read More]
NIEHS/EPA Children's Centers featured on the cover of Environmental Health Perspectives
(October 2005 )
(October 2005 )
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The Children's Environmental Health Research Centers program was featured in the October, 2005 issue of Environmental Health Perspectives,and the issue included a mini-monograph of collaborative "Lessons Learned" papers from the Children's Centers prepared for the National Children's Study, along with profiles of four of the Centers. The NCS plans to follow 100,000 children from birth to adulthood and measure a large number of environmental factors that could influence health. [Read More]
Four Children's Centers Profiled in Environmental Health Perspectives: Children's Centers Study Kids and Chemicals
(October 2005)
(October 2005)
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Many studies in recent years have documented that whether they're used to spray in the kitchen or spray in the field, pesticides have a way of getting into almost all human environments. Pesticide exposure isn't a great idea for adults, but it poses a particular concern in regards to children. [Read More]
Columbia Children's Center wins Award from EPA Office of Children's Health Protection for Integrated Pest Management and Healthy Home projects
(April 14, 2005)
(April 14, 2005)
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The Columbia Children's Center for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH) has been honored with a Excellence Award from the EPA Office of Children's Health Protection for its IPM (Integrated Pest Management) interventions and its "Healthy Home, Healthy Child" community education and outreach project. [Read More]
Mothers' Exposure to Air Pollutants Linked to Chromosome Damage in Babies
(February 15, 2005)
(February 15, 2005)
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A new study of 60 newborns in New York City conducted by the Children's Environmental Health Research Center at Columbia University reveals that exposure of expectant mothers to combustion-related urban air pollution may alter the structure of babies' chromosomes while in the womb. While previous experiments have linked such genetic alterations to an increased risk of leukemia and other cancers, much larger studies would be required to determine the precise increase in risk as these children reach adulthood. Press Release
Environmental Tobacco Smoke Linked to Reading, Math, Logic and Reasoning Declines in Children
(January 5, 2005)
(January 5, 2005)
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A new Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center study shows that exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, even at extremely low levels, is associated with decreases in certain cognitive skills, including reading, math, and logic and reasoning, in children and adolescents. Press Release
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- The EPA Children's Environmental Health Awards
The EPA Office of Children's Health Protection and Environmental Education each year grants a series of Children's Environmental Health Excellence Awards. The awards are designed to recognize ongoing and sustainable dedication to, and notable leadership in, protecting children from environmental health risks.
- View a list of 2005 award winners
- View a list of 2006 award winners
- Application for 2007 awards (closes June 15, 2007)
EPA’s Child and Aging Health Protection Division, Office of Children's Health Protection and Environmental Education (OCHPEE) has released the report "Children's Environmental Health: 2006 - Environment, Health, and a Focus on Children (PDF)."(20 pp, 2.60MB, About PDF) This annual publication highlights a variety of efforts across the U.S. EPA to improve the environments where children live, learn and play and recent efforts to protect children's health.
You can find this and other publications of the Office of Children's Health Protection and Environmental Education at http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/publications2.htm.
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