CASE-STUDIES OF ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS TO CHILDREN

Doing a better job of protecting children from environmental hazards r equires having more and better information about both children's susce ptibility and their exposure to toxic substances. There are many criti cal gaps in knowledge of this issue. This article presents several exa mples specifically related to children's exposure to pesticides which illustrate environmental risks for children. The cases examined includ e the risk posed to children by the use of the insecticide aldicarb on bananas, and reported illnesses in children caused by the use of the insecticide diazinon in the home and by the use of interior house pain t containing mercury. The cases presented illustrate how regulatory ag encies, parents, health care providers, and others who come into conta ct with children on a regular basis all have roles to play in filling in the information gaps regarding children's exposure to environmental hazards and the deleterious effects of these exposures.