A developmental approach to pediatric environmental health

Abstract

Children cannot be considered "little adults" in the field of environmental medicine. There are differences in exposures, pathways of absorption, tissue distribution, ability to biotransform or eliminate chemicals from the body, and responses to chemical and radiation. The differences vary with the developmental stages of the child. Children all respond differently to environmental toxicants. Knowledge, although rapidly increasing, is still incomplete regarding the impact of the environment on children. As health care providers, prevention is an ally but must be approached differently at each stage of a child's life.