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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Elise G. Miller, MEd, Institute for Children's Environmental Health, 1646 Dow Road, Freeland, WA 98249, 360-331-7904, emiller@iceh.org

According to recent studies, the incidence of learning and developmental disabilities appears to be rising, affecting about one in six children in the U.S. under the age of 18. Many factors – heredity, gene expression, social environment, nutrition and chemical contaminants – contribute to brain development in complex ways. Chemical contaminants, however, have historically been the least research and are the most preventable. Emerging science suggests that exposures to certain neurotoxicants such as lead, mercury, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated flame retardants can contribute to neurological problems including learning and developmental disabilities (LDDs).

Most chemicals are currently poorly tested and screened for neurotoxic potential and more chemicals are put on the market each year for which there is little or no data on their neurotoxicity. In addition, because exposures to these chemicals can impact health, the economic costs of health care and special education needs as well as lost income is in the billions of dollars. To address these concerns, the Collaborative on Health and the Environment's Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative (LDDI) has galvanized national and state learning and developmental disability organizations, researchers, health professionals and environmental health and justice groups. LDDI currently has over 230 organizational and individual members engaged in research, educational and policy efforts.

This presentation will highlight the current science regarding links between neurotoxic chemicals and LDDs, the economic costs of exposures to these chemicals and model national initiatives that are translating cutting edge research into collaborative educational and political action on community, regional and national levels.

Learning Objectives:

• List at least five neurotoxic chemicals that may contribute to learning and developmental disabilities
• Articulate the links between environmental exposures and public health costs to society.
• Describe at least two model environmental health programs led by national learning and developmental disabilities organizations that are educating their constituencies and leveraging policies related to these issues.

Keywords: Disability, Environmental Health

Related Web page: www.iceh.org/LDDI.html

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation