Early Life PFAS Exposure and Child Health: Evidence from the NIH ECHO Cohort

Early Life PFAS Exposure and Child Health: Evidence from the NIH ECHO Cohort

Key Takeaways: The widespread presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment has raised concerns about their potential impacts on child health. This presentation will explore the current state of knowledge by reviewing PFAS exposure and child health research within the ECHO Program. The talk will highlight the PFAS data available through ECHO, summarize key findings from ECHO-supported studies, and examine evidence linking prenatal and early life PFAS exposure to a range of health outcomes. It will also discuss the strengths of the ECHO platform, identify remaining research gaps, and consider future directions to advance understanding and prevention of PFAS-related health impacts in children.