title: Pesticide exposure and child neurodevelopment: summary and implications.
abstract: Widely used around the world, pesticides play an important role in protecting health, crops, and property. However, pesticides may also have detrimental effects on human health, with young children among the particularly vulnerable. Recent research suggests that even low levels of pesticide exposure can affect young children's neurological and behavioral development. Evidence shows a link between pesticides and neonatal reflexes, psychomotor and mental development, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Implications include a need for improved risk assessment and health histories by clinicians, greater education at all levels, more common use of integrated pest management, and continued policy and regulatory strategies to mitigate the effects of and the need for pesticides.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6096, USA. jhliu@nursing.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Jianghong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schelar
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced*; D002657:Child Development / Q000187:drug effects; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000506:poisoning; D006801:Humans; D009420:Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000506:poisoning*; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D010575:Pesticides