Abstract: Growth and development in children has been used as a general indicator of health in a variety of contexts. Because growth involves a large number of physiologic pathways, it is sensitive to environmental quality, and can be employed as a first screen of the health of humans exposed to pollutants whose toxicity is poorly characterized. In addition to reflecting child health generally, child growth may be directly affected by certain pollutants that are suspected of mimicking certain hormones, and these may affect child growth and maturation by modifying its endocrine basis.

Dr. Schell will describe results from three investigations of the links between toxicants and child development: 1) a study of low lead levels on prenatal and early postnatal physical growth of infants in Albany, NY; 2) a study of the pubertal growth of Taiwanese children exposed in utero to an organochlorine mixture; and, 3) a study of polychlorinated biphenyl exposure and pubertal development among adolescents of the Mohawk nation living on the Akwesasne Reserve in New York.