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Resources for Healthcare Providers about Children's Environmental Health

The Children’s Environmental Health (CEH) resources listed below are available free-of-charge online. The list was developed as an informal starting point for healthcare providers (HCP) to learn more about pediatric environmental health. We have confined our list to materials that are:

  • Produced in the United States or in the North American Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) Network
  • Accessible in electronic format on the Web
  • Derived from U.S. Government sources, PEHSU’s, and other non-governmental organizations partnering with the U.S. Government on CEH issues

We invite other countries or international organizations to add to this list to create a global directory of educational materials for healthcare providers. Choose from the topics below for resources related to that topic.

General Information

U.S. Government Resources

  • Online Pediatric Environmental Health Toolkit Training
    • From the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's (ATSDR) Division of Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, University of California San Francisco Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit, and Physicians for Social Responsibility, Greater Boston
    • Description: 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.
  • Case Studies in Environmental Medicine
    • From the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR)
    • Description: 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.

Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs) Resources

Websites for most of the North American PEHSUs are listed below. Following the PEHSU list are specific Web-based materials from the PEHSUs.

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Other Non-Governmental Organization Resources

(NOTE: Some of these products have been funded or partially funded by the U.S. Government)
 
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  • Video on Pediatric Environmental Health
    • From the International Pediatric Environmental Health Leadership Institute
    • Description: An introductory video about children's health and the environment that draws attention to the effects of environmental contaminants on children's health and encourages healthcare providers to "take the next step" to identify and help protect children from these contaminants.
  • Training Package for Healthcare Providers
    • From the World Health Organization
    • Description: A collection of over 30 modules with internationally harmonized information and peer-reviewed materials to enable 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.
  • Toolkit by the PEHSUs and PSR
    • From the Physicians for Social Responsibility and endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics
    • Description: A clinical tool that 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.
  • ENVIRODX
    • From Health Sciences Library, University of Utah
    • Description: Multimedia, case-focused, computer-based learning program on environmental-related diseases.
  • In Harm's Way
    • From the Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility (GBPSR)
    • Description: Training materials

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.

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  • EnviRN
    • From the Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments
    • Description: Resources list and links for environmental nursing.

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Air Quality

U.S. Government Resources

Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units (PEHSUs) Resources

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Asthma

U.S. Government Resources

PEHSU and Other Non-Governmental Organization Resources

(NOTE: Some of these products have been U.S. Government funded)

  • Pediatric Asthma Initiative  Exit
    • From The National Environmental Education and Training Foundation
    • Description: Includes an environmental history form, guidelines for environmental management of pediatric asthma, etc.

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Climate Change

Other Non-Governmental Organization Resources

(NOTE: Some of these products have been U.S. Government funded)

  • Global Climate Change and Children's Health Policy Statement Exit
    • From the American Academy of Pediatrics
    • Description: 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.

Lead

U.S. Government Resources

PEHSU and Other Non-Governmental Organization Resources

(NOTE: Some of these products have been U.S. Government funded)

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Mercury

U.S. Government Resources

PEHSU and Other Non-Governmental Organization Resources

(NOTE: Some of these products have been U.S. Government funded)

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  • Mercury in a Home
    • From Larry K. Lowry, PhD, Debra C. Cherry, MD, MS, SW Center for Pediatric Environmental Health. University of Texas Health Center at Tyler and Larissa Velez, MD, North Texas Poison Center, Dallas
    • Description: PowerPoint presentation
  • Toxicological Effects of Methylmercury
    • National Research Council

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Mold

U.S. Government Resources

  • Online Course: Introduction to Mold and Mold Remediation for Environmental and Public Health Professionals
    • From the U.S. EPA
    • Description: 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.
  • Indoor Mold and Children’s Health Paper Abstracts
    • From the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
    • Description: Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 107, Supplement 3. 1999. Peer-reviewed papers presented at work- shop on Indoor Mold and Children’ s Health. Scroll down to Table of Contents; then scroll down to Indoor Mold and Children’s Health

Non-Governmental Organization Resources

(NOTE: Some of these products have been U.S. Government funded)

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Pesticides

U.S. Government Resources

PEHSU and Other Non-Governmental Organization Resources

(NOTE: Some of these products have been U.S. Government funded)

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  • Organophosphate Pesticides and Child Health: A Primer for Healthcare Providers
    • From the Pacific Northwest Agricultural Safety and Health (PNASH) Center and the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) in Seattle, Washington
    • Description: An educational activity to: 1) increase the knowledge of healthcare providers about the special susceptibilities of children to organophosphate pesticides; and 2) increase competency to recognize and respond to childhood pesticide-related illness.
  • National Strategies for Healthcare Providers: Pesticides Initiative
    • From the National Environmental Education & Training Foundation (NEETF) and U.S. EPA
    • Description: Includes National Pesticides Competency Guidelines for Medical and Nursing Education, National Pesticide Practice Skills Guidelines for Medical and Nursing Practice.
  • National Pesticide Information Center
    • From the Oregon State University and the U.S. EPA
    • Description: Science-based pesticide information on wide range of topics. Also has list of state and regional poison control centers.

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Water

U.S. Government Resources

Other Non-Governmental Organization Resources

(NOTE: Some of these products have been U.S. Government funded)

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