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BACKGROUND: Exposure to organochlorine compounds (OCs) can alter thyroid function in humans, and hypothyroidism during early life can adversely affect a child's neurodevelopment. OBJECTIVES: In this study we aimed to [...]

BACKGROUND: The long-term neurotoxicity risks caused by prenatal exposures to pesticides are unclear, but a previous pilot study of Ecuadorian school children suggested that blood pressure and visuospatial processing may [...]

BACKGROUND: Early-life exposure to p,p'-DDT [2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl) -1, 1, 1 - trichloroethane] is associated with a decrease in cognitive skills among preschoolers at 4 years of age. We hypothesized that genetic [...]

BACKGROUND: Hexachlorobenzene (HCB) is an organochlorine chemical that has been used in agriculture and industrial processes. Behavioral impairment after HCB exposure has been described in animal models, but little information [...]

Refers to http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409430 We agree with Lezama et al. that the mental health of a parent may influence child behavior. Several family-level factors, including poor maternal mental health, have been [...]

BACKGROUND: Exposure to traffic noise has been associated with adverse effects on neuropsychological outcomes in children, but findings with regard to behavioral problems are inconsistent. OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether residential road traffic noise exposure is associated with behavioral problems in 7-year-old children. METHODS: We identified 46,940 children from the Danish National Birth Cohort with complete information on behavioral problems at 7 years of age and complete address history from conception to 7 years of age. Road traffic noise ([L.sub.den]) was modeled at all present and historical addresses. Behavioral problems were assessed by the parent-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Associations between pregnancy and childhood exposure to noise and behavioral problems were analyzed by multinomial or logistic regression and adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: A 10-dB increase in average time-weighted road traffic noise exposure from birth to 7 years of age was associated with a 7% increase (95% CI: 1.00, 1.14) in abnormal versus normal total difficulties scores; 5% (95% CI: 1.00, 1.10) and 9% (95% CI: 1.03, 1.18) increases in borderline and abnormal hyperactivity/inattention subscale scores, respectively; and 5% (95% CI: 0.98, 1.14) and 6% (95% CI: 0.99, 1.12) increases in abnormal conduct problem and peer relationship problem subscale scores, respectively. Exposure to road traffic noise during pregnancy was not associated with child behavioral problems at 7 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: Residential road traffic noise in early childhood may be associated with behavioral problems, particularly hyperactivity/inattention symptoms. http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1409430, Introduction Exposure to traffic noise is considerable in many parts of the world and has been associated with health effects among adults, including psychological symptoms such as anxiety and changes [...]

BACKGROUND: Green spaces have been associated with improved mental health in children; however, available epidemiological evidence on their impact on child behavioral development is scarce. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the impact of contact with green spaces and blue spaces (beaches) on indicators of behavioral development and symptoms of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in schoolchildren. METHODS: This study was based on a sample of 2, 111 schoolchildren (7-10 years of age) from 36 schools in Barcelona in 2012. We obtained data on time spent in green spaces and beaches and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (SDQ) from parents, and ADHD/DSM-IV questionnaires from teachers. Surrounding greenness was abstracted as the average Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in buffers of 100 m, 250 m, and 500 m around each home address. Proximity to green spaces was defined as living within 300 m of a major green space (> 0.05 [km.sup.2]). We applied quasi-Poisson mixed-effects models (with school random effect) to separately estimate associations between indicators of contact with green spaces and SDQ and ADHD total and subscale scores. RESULTS: We generally estimated beneficial associations between behavioral indicators and longer time spent in green spaces and beaches, and with residential surrounding greenness. Specifically, we found statistically significant inverse associations between green space playing time and SDQ total difficulties, emotional symptoms, and peer relationship problems; between residential surrounding greenness and SDQ total difficulties and hyperactivity/inattention and ADHD/DSM-IV total and inattention scores; and between annual beach attendance and SDQ total difficulties, peer relationship problems, and prosocial behavior. For proximity to major green spaces, the results were not conclusive. CONCLUSION: Our findings support beneficial impacts of contact with green and blue spaces on behavioral development in schoolchildren. Environ Health Perspect 122:1351-1358; http: //dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1408215, Background Contact with green spaces has been reported to improve both perceived and objective physical and mental health and well-being (Bowler et al. 2010). Underlying mechanisms of health benefits of [...]

BACKGROUND: Developmental periods in early life may be particularly vulnerable to impacts of environmental exposures. Human research on this topic has generally focused on single exposure-health effect relationships. The 'exposome' concept encompasses the totality of exposures from conception onward, complementing the genome. OBJECTIVES: The Human Early-Life Exposome (HELIX) project is a new collaborative research project that aims to implement novel exposure assessment and biomarker methods to characterize early-life exposure to multiple environmental factors and associate these with omics biomarkers and child health outcomes, thus characterizing the 'early-life exposome.' Here we describe the general design of the project. METHODS: In six existing birth cohort studies in Europe, HELIX will estimate prenatal and postnatal exposure to a broad range of chemical and physical exposures. Exposure models will be developed for the full cohorts totaling 32,000 mother-child pairs, and biomarkers will be measured in a subset of 1,200 mother--child pairs. Nested repeat-sampling panel studies (n = 150) will collect data on biomarker variability, use smartphones to assess mobility and physical activity, and perform personal exposure monitoring. Omics techniques will determine molecular profiles (metabolome, proteome, transcriptome, epigenome) associated with exposures. Statistical methods for multiple exposures will provide exposure-response estimates for fetal and child growth, obesity, neurodevelopment, and respiratory outcomes. A health impact assessment exercise will evaluate risks and benefits of combined exposures. CONCLUSIONS: HELIX is one of the first attempts to describe the early-life exposome of European populations and unravel its relation to omics markers and health in childhood. As proof of concept, it will form an important first step toward the life-course exposome. http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1307204, Introduction Environmental hazards such as ambient air pollution, environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), noise, pesticides, and radiation may lead to serious, chronic pathologies. The fetus and infant are particularly vulnerable to [...]

Background: Studies have reported some evidence of adverse effects of organochlorine exposures on child development, but the results have been inconsistent, and few studies have evaluated associations with child behavior. Objective: We investigated the association between prenatal and early-life exposures to 2,2',4,4',5,5' -hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB-153) and 1,1dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (p,p'-DDE) and behaviors in children between 5 and 9 y of age. Methods: In the Biopersistent organochlorines in diet and human fertility: Epidemiologic studies of time to pregnancy and semen quality in Inuit and European populations (INUENDO) cohort, consisting of mother-child pairs from Greenland and Ukraine (n = 1,018), maternal serum PCB-153 and p,p'-DDE concentrations were measured during pregnancy, and cumulative postnatal exposures during the first 12 months after delivery were estimated using a pharmacokinetic model. Parents completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), and children's behaviors were dichotomized as abnormal (high) versus normal/borderline for five SDQ subscales and the total difficulties score. Results: The total difficulties score, an overall measure of abnormal behavior, was not clearly associated with pre- or postnatal exposures to PCB-153 or to p,p'-DDE. However, pooled adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for high conduct problem scores with a doubling of exposure were 1.19 (95% CI: 0.99, 1.42) and 1.16 (95% CI: 0.96, 1.41) for pre- and postnatal PCB-153, respectively, and 1.25 (95% CI: 1.04, 1.51) and 1.24 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.51) for preand postnatal p,p'-DDE, respectively. Corresponding ORs for high hyperactivity scores were 1.24 (95% CI: 0.94, 1.62) and 1.08 (95% CI: 0.81, 1.45) for pre- and postnatal PCB-153, respectively, and 1.43 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.92) and 1.27 (95% CI: 0.93, 1.73) for pre- and postnatal-p,p'-DDE, respectively. Conclusion: Prenatal and early postnatal exposures to p,p'-DDE and PCB-153 were associated with a higher prevalence of abnormal scores for conduct and hyperactivity at 5-9 y of age in our study population. These findings provide further support for the importance of minimizing organochlorine exposures to young children and to women of childbearing age. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP553, Introduction Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been widely used in, for example, hydraulic equipment, dyes, plasticizers, capacitors, transformers and flame retardants. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) has been used primarily as a pesticide and [...]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Exposure to Road Traffic Noise and Behavioral Problems in 7-Year-old Children: A Cohort Study" by Dorrit Hjortebjerg and colleagues which was published in the February 2016 issue of the journal.