Resources for Healthcare Providers about Children's Environmental Health
The children’s environmental health resources listed below are available free-of-charge online. The list was developed as an informal starting point for healthcare providers to learn more about pediatric environmental health. Materials include those that are:
- Produced in the United States or in the North American Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) Network.
- Accessible in electronic format online.
- Derived from U.S. Government sources, PEHSUs, and other non-governmental organizations partnering with the U.S. Government on children's environmental health issues.
We invite other countries or international organizations to add to this list to create a global directory of educational materials for healthcare providers.
General Information
Federal Resources
- Online Pediatric Environmental Health Toolkit Training: This resource is a free online continuing education course on pediatric environmental health. Physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, and other health professionals can use this interactive course to increase their knowledge base of common pediatric environmental health issues. Features include anticipatory guidance and environmental health, taking an environmental health history, environmental health case studies, animated well child visit cases, and how to use the Pediatric Toolkit in clinical practice. (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's (ATSDR) Division of Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, the University of California San Francisco PEHSU, and Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility)
- Case Studies in Environmental Medicine: These case studies are self-instructional publications designed to increase the primary care provider's knowledge of hazardous substances in the environment and to aid in the evaluation of potentially exposed patients. (ATSDR)
PEHSU Resources
- Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs): Use the portal page to all PEHSUs in North America or find individual PESHUs below.
- Region 1: New England Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit
- Region 2: Mount Sinai Pediatric Environmental Health Unit
- Region 3: Mid-Atlantic Center for Children's Health & the Environment
- Region 4: Southeast Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit
- Region 5: Great Lakes Center for Children's Environmental Health
- Region 6: Southwest Center for Pediatric Environmental Health
- Region 7: Mid-America Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit
- Regon 8: Rocky Mountain Regional Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit
- Region 9: Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit/University of California
- Misericordia Child Health Centre: View the Pediatric Environmental Health Clinic's Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinic Directory for Canada.
- Story of Health: Case-based learning has long been used in medical education. This eBook grounds the science of health in stories of fictional people, their families, and communities to enable readers to explore the risk factors for disease as well as how to prevent disease and promote health and resilience. Using the setting of a family reunion as a backdrop, this book explores how multiple environments influence health across the lifespan. (Western States PEHSU and University of California, San Francisco)
- Pediatric and Reproductive Environmental Health Scholars (PREHS) Program: The PREHS program, established in 2021, trains pediatric healthcare providers, obstetricians and gynecologists, and other healthcare professionals to address environmental health issues.
Other Partner Resources
(NOTE: Some of these products have been funded or partially funded by the U.S. Government.)
- Training Package for Healthcare Providers: The collection of over 30 modules with internationally harmonized information and peer-reviewed materials enables healthcare workers to be trained, and also to become trainers of their peers and colleagues. The modules include extensive notes and references, case studies and self-evaluation tools, backed up by manuals and guidelines. A selected team of experienced professionals from over 15 countries, the International Paediatric Association (IPA) and selected NGOs are participating in its preparation. (World Health Organization)
- Pediatric Environmental Health Toolkit: The clinical tool includes reference and anticipatory guidance materials for providers and patients including desk and pocket references for providers, and "Rx for Prevention" slips, magnets, and posters for patients. (Physicians for Social Responsibility and endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics)
- In Harm's Way: Toxic Threats to Child Development: The fully referenced, peer reviewed report addresses the links between toxic chemicals in our environment and learning, behavioral and developmental disabilities in children. (Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility)
Resources for Nurses
All resources provided on this page are good sources of information for medical and nursing professionals. The following resources are targeted specifically to nursing education and practice.
- EnviRN: Find a resources list and links for environmental nursing. (Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments)
Air Quality
Federal Resources
- Ozone and Your Patients’ Health: During the summer months, millions of people in the United States are exposed to the ambient air pollutant ozone at levels that can cause uncomfortable but reversible respiratory symptoms as well as a number of more serious health effects. This website offers a short, evidence-based training course to help doctors and other health professionals address these health effects. (EPA)
- Radon: The Health Threat with a Simple Solution - A Physician’s Guide: The booklet on radon has been developed in consultation with the American Medical Association to enlist physicians in the national effort to inform the American public about the serious health risk posed by indoor radon gas. (EPA)
Asthma
Federal Resources
- Asthma and Indoor Environments: Healthcare Professionals: This webpage includes an In-Home Assessment Checklist to help healthcare plans incorporate in-home environmental management into their comprehensive asthma care programs. (EPA)
- Asthma - A Speakers Kit for Public Health Professionals: These resources were developed to meet the growing need for program evaluation training, the CDC National Asthma Control Program has developed a series of resources. (CDC, National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH))
- Breath of Life: This document contains resources, research, and interactives. (National Library of Medicine)
- Clearing the Air: Asthma and Indoor Air Exposures. 2000: Recent studies have suggested that indoor exposures — to dust mites, cockroaches, mold, pet dander, tobacco smoke, and other biological and chemical pollutants — may influence the disease course of asthma. (National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine)
PEHSU Resources
(NOTE: Some of these products have been funded or partially funded by the U.S. Government.)
- Environmental Management of Pediatric Asthma: Guidelines for Healthcare Providers: These guidelines are aimed at integrating environmental management of asthma into pediatric health care. These documents outline competencies in environmental health relevant to pediatric asthma that should be mastered by health care providers, and outlines the environmental interventions that should be communicated to patients. (National Environmental Education and Training Foundation)
Climate Change
Other Partner Resources
(NOTE: Some of these products have been funded or partially funded by the U.S. Government.)
- Global Climate Change and Children's Health Policy Statement: This policy statement is supported by a technical report that examines in some depth the nature of the problem of climate change, likely effects on children's health as a result of climate change, and the critical importance of responding promptly and aggressively to reduce activities that are contributing to this change. (American Academy of Pediatrics)
Lead
Federal Resources
- Case Studies in Environmental Medicine: Lead Toxicity: Because many hazardous exposures from environmental and occupational sources either manifest as common medical problems or have nonspecific symptoms, an exposure history is vital for correct diagnosis. By taking a thorough exposure history, the primary care clinician can play an important role in detecting, treating, and preventing disease due to environmental exposures. (ATSDR)
- Video: Lead Medical Grand Rounds: The goal of the video is to increase the viewer's knowledge of lead toxicity and their ability to evaluate potentially exposed patients. (ATSDR)
Mercury
Federal Resources
- Health Effects of Exposure to Mercury: You can learn more about health effects associated with the most common exposures to methylmercury, elemental (metallic) mercury, and other mercury compounds. (EPA)
- EPA/Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Advice about Eating Fish and Shellfish: This advice is for females who might become pregnant, are pregnant, or are breastfeeding as well as parents and caregivers who are feeding children. It can help people make informed choices about the types of fish that are nutritious and safe to eat. (EPA and FDA)
PEHSU Resources
(NOTE: Some of these products have been funded or partially funded by the U.S. Government.)
- Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury: Methylmercury, one organic form of mercury, can accumulate up the aquatic food chain and lead to high concentrations in predatory fish. When consumed by humans, contaminated fish represent a public health risk. (National Research Council)
Mold
Federal Resources
- Introduction to Mold and Mold Remediation for Environmental and Public Health Professionals: This course contains information on mold prevention and remediation and is designed primarily for environmental and public health professionals. If you would like to take a short quiz on your current mold knowledge, you can begin with the Pre-Test. The Mold Course has nine chapters; these chapters are further divided into smaller lessons. At the end of each chapter there is a voluntary quiz to test your understanding of the material covered. Each chapter may be accessed at any point in the course using the menu on the left side of the page. (EPA)
- Indoor Mold and Children’s Health Paper Abstracts: From Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 107, Supplement 3. 1999, find peer-reviewed papers presented at workshop on indoor mold and children's health. Scroll down to Table of Contents, then scroll down to Indoor Mold and Children’s Health. (NIH)
Other Partner Resources
(NOTE: Some of these products have been funded or partially funded by the U.S. Government.)
- Guidance For Clinicians on the Recognition and Management of Health Effects Related to Mold Exposure and Moisture Indoors (PDF), 2004 (University of Connecticut Health Center)
- Fungal References: Find references, including an airborne fungal glossary, health effects, and photos. (University of Minnesota, Environmental Health and Safety)
Pesticides
Federal Resources
- Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisonings: This manual gives healthcare providers a quick reference resource for the best toxicology and treatment information for patients with pesticide exposures. (EPA)
- Protecting Children's Health - The National Pesticide Program (pdf): This document is designed to educate readers about the foundation for children's health protection that has been established in EPA's national pesticide program. (EPA)
PEHSU & Other Partner Resources
(NOTE: Some of these products have been funded or partially funded by the U.S. Government.)
- Organophosphate Pesticides and Child Health: A Primer for Healthcare Providers: This educational activity helps to increase the knowledge of healthcare providers about the special susceptibilities of children to organophosphate pesticides and increase competency to recognize and respond to childhood pesticide-related illness. (Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health (PNASH) Center and the PEHSU in Seattle, Washington)
- National Strategies for Healthcare Providers: Pesticides Initiative: This implementation plan includes National Pesticides Competency Guidelines for Medical and Nursing Education, National Pesticide Practice Skills Guidelines for Medical and Nursing Practice. (National Environmental Education & Training Foundation (NEETF) and EPA)
- National Pesticide Information Center: Find science-based pesticide information on wide range of topics. Also has list of state and regional poison control centers. (EPA)
Water
Federal Resources
- Tap into Prevention: Drinking Water Information for Health Care Providers (pdf): The 30-page booklet accompanies the continuing education video. (EPA, CDC, and ATSDR)
Other Partner Resources
(NOTE: Some of these products have been funded or partially funded by the U.S. Government.)
- Recognizing Waterborne Disease and the Health Effects of Water Contamination: A Review of the Challenges Facing the Medical Community in the United States: Preservation of water quality and prevention of waterborne disease is a complicated task requiring a coordinated effort from many diverse disciplines including physicians, healthcare providers, epidemiologists, microbiologists, academic scientists, science researchers, local and national health authorities, public and environmental health specialists, water engineers and water purveyors. (National Library of Medicine, NIH)