Children's Health

National Information

Our Children

Protecting children, our youngest and most sensitive citizens, from environmental health risks is fundamental to EPA's mission of protecting human health and the environment. It is essential that children have clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, safe food to eat, and a healthy environment in which to learn, grow and thrive. Children grow best in such environments.

Children may be more vulnerable to some environmental risks than adults for several reasons:

Compared to adults, children proportionately eat more food, drink more fluids, and breathe more air than adults. As a result, they are exposed to more pollutants per pound of body weight than adults.
Children may be more vulnerable than adults to environmental hazards because their systems are still developing, often making them less able to process and eliminate toxins.
Children's behavior patterns and natural curiosity can put them in harm's way, which can increase their exposure to pollutants.
Children are least able to protect themselves.
Children have a longer life expectancy than past generations.
Fewer than half of the synthetic chemicals that have been developed and released to the environment have been tested for potential human toxicity, and fewer still for their potential effects on children.
Children represent 25 percent of our population, but 100 percent of our future.

Major Environmental Concerns

These are the most common concerns for children in Region 7:

Mid-America Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit

The Mid-America Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (MAPEHSU)is the pediatric environmental health specialty unit (PEHSU) for the Region 7 states of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. The goal of the PEHSU Program is to increase the knowledge base of pediatric environmental medicine for health professionals by providing a forum for collaboration of environmental specialists and pediatricians.

TThe PEHSU is funded through a cooperative agreement with the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) and EPA Region 7. Funds are administered through the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics (AOEC).

The MAPEHSU is dedicated to providing expert clinical, consultative, and educational services to improve the recognition and treatment of children's environmental health problems in the Region 7 states.

MAPEHSU services include:

Consultation - Medical consultation or advice from a physician or health care provider with expertise in pediatric environmental health

Referrals - Referrals to health agencies with an interest in pediatric environmental health

Education and Outreach - Pediatric environmental health-focused education and outreach to the medical community

Contact Information
For general inquiries, call the MAPEHSU toll-free at 1-800-421-9916.

EPA Region 7 Contact

LaTonya Sanders
Children's Health Coordinator
(913) 551-7555
sanders.latonya@epa.gov