PEHSU Fact Sheets & Other Resources
PEHSU National Resources for Families & Communities
The Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs) work with health care professionals, parents, schools, and community groups to provide information about protecting children from environmental hazards. PEHSUs also provide consultations on potential environmental exposures and referrals to reproductive and children's environmental health specialists.
Have questions? You're not alone. Browse our frequently asked questions for answers.
Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) is a source of medical information and advice on environmental conditions that influence children’s health.
PEHSUs are academically-based, typically at university medical centers, and are located across the United States, Canada and Mexico. These PEHSUs form a network that is capable of responding to requests for information throughout North America and offer advice on prevention, diagnosis, management and treatment of environmentally-related health effects in children.
Environmental exposures of concern for children include biological, chemical, and radiological hazards, such as:
- Pesticides
- Lead
- Mercury
- Arsenic
- Allergens
- Carbon monoxide
- Solvents
- Diesel exhaust
- Sun exposure
- Second-hand tobacco smoke
- Drinking water contaminants
- Indoor and outdoor air pollutants
The basic services of the PEHSU network are:
Community Education and Outreach
- Raising awareness about environmental conditions that may harm children
- Guidance on preventing or reducing harmful environmental exposures in everyday situations
- Providing practical advice on helping children cope and recover during and after floods, wildfires, chemical spills and other crises
Training Health Professionals
- Conducting seminars and conferences
- Publishing peer-reviewed articles that raise environmental health literacy
- Translating health care research into medical practice
- Providing online educational programs and case studies on environmental health issues
Consultation and Referral
- Evaluating suspected toxic exposures
- Identifying and interpreting appropriate diagnostic tests
- Medical management
- Referral to specialty care
Some of the diseases and health problems that children can experience as a result of environmental exposures include:
- Asthma and/or respiratory disorders
- Childhood cancer
- Congenital anomalies (birth defects)
- Developmental disorders
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Liver disorders
- Intellectual delay
- Neurological disorders
- Skin disorders
Potential symptoms may include, but are certainly not limited to:
- Anemia
- Weakness
- Shortness of breath
- Weight loss
- Behavioral change
- Diarrhea
No, and that is why the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units exist. Among other things, we provide expert consultation and training to health care professionals to help them better understand the unique health concerns related to children and environmental exposures.
Children's environmental health is not yet standard in most medical and nursing school curricula, and medical and pediatric textbooks may only skim health topics and their relationship to environmental exposures. Your personal health care professional may be very interested to know that he or she can consult with environmental pediatric professionals at these units, and your interest in this topic may encourage more health care providers to become proficient in the topic.
- Asthma and/or respiratory disorders
- Childhood cancer
- Congenital anomalies (birth defects)
- Developmental disorders
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Liver disorders
- Intellectual delay
- Neurological disorders
- Skin disorders
