Exposure to certain air pollutants during pregnancy was associated with autism-related traits and increased odds of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis in children, according to a recent ECHO Cohort study led by Akhgar Ghassabian, MD, PhD of NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Heather Volk, PhD of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Air pollution is a significant environmental health ...

Children had higher levels of certain replacement chemicals compared to their mothers during pregnancy. Young children are exposed to a wide range of environmental chemicals, including some emerging and replacement chemicals, according to ECHO Cohort research measuring early childhood exposures. This study found that children aged 2 to 4 years often had higher levels of certain chemicals compared to their mothers ...

High exposure to some organophosphate esters (OPEs) during pregnancy was associated with higher scores for increased autism-related traits and greater odds of an autism diagnosis in children, according to research from the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program led by Jennifer Ames, PhD, and Lisa Croen, PhD of Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Overall, the study found generally small ...

Please join the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program for the inaugural ECHO Symposium: Translating Science to Action on Sept. 15, 2025, at the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland, and online. This free, one-day event will bring together researchers, clinicians, policymakers, advocates, community leaders, and more to explore how early environmental factors influence ...

Babies born to mothers potentially exposed to low levels of arsenic in public drinking water-even at levels below the federal safety standard-were more likely to be born preterm, with lower birthweight, or be smaller than expected, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health’s Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program. While the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ...

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program will hold its inaugural ECHO Symposium: Translating Science to Action on September 15, 2025, at the NIH campus in Bethesda, Maryland, and online. This free-to-attend, one-day interdisciplinary event seeks to translate child health research into action by informing intervention programs, health policies, and clinical practice. Experts from ...

Researchers identified growth patterns and early-life factors linked to higher obesity risk at age 9. Not all children grow the same way. A new study from the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program suggests that body weight changes in early childhood may be associated with later obesity risk. Funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the study tracked children’s ...

Wheezing symptoms occur in 20-40% of infants, contributing to a substantial impact on children’s quality of life and their use of healthcare. Multiple early exposures, such as prenatal exposure to cigarette smoking, have been associated with these wheezing symptoms. Previous studies have suggested a possible link between antibiotic exposure during pregnancy and an increased risk of wheezing and cough in ...

Children born to mothers with cardiometabolic health issues before or during pregnancy may face a higher risk of elevated blood pressure in childhood and adolescence, according to a new study funded by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). High blood pressure in childhood often continues into adulthood and is linked to ...

Children born in neighborhoods with fewer opportunities are more likely to experience repeated asthma flares requiring emergency care or medical treatment, with non-Hispanic Black children having the highest incidence rates of asthma with recurrent exacerbations, according to a new study funded by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program at the National Institutes of Health. Asthma with recurring exacerbations ...