Links
The following list of links are to government agencies, environmental groups, and professional groups. The government web sites link many more. As with any Internet resource, the validity of the information must be evaluated before application to a health situation involving children.
PEHSU National Headquarters
Federal agencies
- Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSU)
The Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs) are a source of medical information and advice on environmental conditions that influence reproductive and children’s health.
- Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSU) National Classroom
The PEHSU National Classroom offers various educational opportunities that include the ability to obtain continuing education (CE) credit including online course and webinars.
- The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
ATSDR is a Federal agency, associated with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, that addresses the human health consequences of toxic exposures associated with hazardous waste sites and other environmental exposures. ATSDR has identified children’s environmental health as an important focus area. At the ATSDR, You can find a pediatric environmental health toolkit and case studies on environmental triggers of asthma, principles of pediatric environmental health, and taking a pediatric exposure history.
- Molds in the home have been a major concern to many parents. The Environmental Protection Agency has an excellent pamphlet designed specifically to answer many of the questions parents have regarding molds. It is "A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home".
- The Environmental Protection Agency Office of Children’s Health Program
This office was established in 1997 to support and facilitate agency efforts to protect children’s health from environmental threats.
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
The mission of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) is to reduce the burden of human illness and dysfunction from environmental causes by understanding the relationship between environmental factors, individual susceptibility and age. The NIEHS achieves its mission through multidisciplinary biomedical research programs, prevention and intervention efforts, and communication strategies that encompass training, education, technology transfer, and community outreach. This comprehensive site features access to the NIEHS online library, a description of the environmental genome project, the 9th annual report on environmental carcinogens, the Environmental Health Information Service, and many other instructive links. Of particular interest is the network of Children’s Environmental Health Research Centers as well as a kids page.
Information from federal sources
- Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP)
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) publishes a peer-reviewed journal, Environmental Health Perspectives. EHP is available online and includes a special section on children’s health issues.
- National Library of Medicine (NLM)
The National Library of Medicine is the world's largest biomedical library and a leader in research in computational health informatics. NLM plays a pivotal role in translating biomedical research into practice. NLM's research and information services support scientific discovery, health care, and public health.
The National Library of Medicine also released Household Products Database, a consumer’s guide in friendly English, that provides easy-to-understand information on the potential health effects of more than 2,000 ingredients contained in more than 4,000 common household products. For more technical information users can launch a search for a product or ingredient in TOXNET from the Product Page in the database.
Other agencies
- World Health Organization (WHO)
This well known international organization recognizes that the world’s children are uniquely susceptible to environmental exposures both in industrialized and developing countries and has its own Healthy Environments for Children Alliance. This site details its global activities which aim to raise awareness on the subject and promote the recognition, evaluation, and mitigation of the main, emerging and re-emerging environmental threats menacing children’s health in all of its member nations.
Professional Organizations and Non-Government Organizations
(Disclaimer: These resources are provided for your assistance, however the content of these sites are not monitored by the SWCPEH for their objectivity.)
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
This is the nation’s leading professional organization of pediatricians. The AAP web site contains a great many items of interest to children’s environmental health. A particular book "Handbook of Pediatric Environmental Health" is an excellent resource for pediatrician’s interested in the impact of environmental exposures on the child.
- American College of Medical Toxicology
The American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) is a professional, nonprofit association of physicians with recognized expertise in medical toxicology. The College is dedicated to advancing the science and practice of medical toxicology through a variety of activities. ACMT is responsible for administration of the PEHSU units in the Western half of the United States.
- Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics (AOEC)
Established in 1987 the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics, a non-profit organization, is committed to improving the practice of occupational and environmental health through information sharing and collaborative research.
- Asthma Program – Texas Department of State Health Services
The Asthma Program of Texas is funded by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Its goal is to develop an asthma plan for Texas and through its many committees from environment, to schools, implement asthma education throughout Texas. The site provides various resources regarding asthma.
- The Children’s Environmental Health Network (CEHN)
The Children’s Environmental Health Network is a national multi-disciplinary project based in Emeryville, California, whose mission is to promote a healthy environment and protect the fetus and the child from environmental health hazards. The web site contains information on conferences CEHN has sponsored, together with some general information on children’s environmental health and links to other sources of information. A particularly useful reference is the report "A Blueprint for Protecting Children’s Environmental Health: An Urgent Call to Action" This link is the entry into downloading the entire manual.
- Healthy Schools Network
Healthy Schools Network, Inc., is a nationally recognized, New York based advocate for the protection of children’s environmental health in schools.
- Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC)
The North American Commission on Environmental Cooperation, a collaboration between the environment agencies of Canada, the United States and Mexico has a special program area devoted to children’s environmental health. Check out this site to see what actions are being taken in North America to address children’s environmental health issues.
- Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR)
Physicians for Social Responsibility is a national organization of physicians, one of whose focus areas is environmental health. PSR’s web site contains a section devoted to children’s environmental health.
