Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Center

Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Center Currently, our research focuses on heavy metal contaminants in food and drinking water such as arsenic and mercury.

The Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Center at Dartmouth brings together a unique interdisciplinary team of scientists and health care providers committed to advancing the understanding of environmental contaminants’ impact on children’s health. We are conducting four interdisciplinary studies designed to promote understanding in relation to heavy metal contaminants, birth outcomes, and the health of infants and young children.

WILDFIRE SAFETY & MONITORING INDOOR AIR QUALITY 101: If wildfire smoke is affecting your area be aware that children are...
07/27/2026

WILDFIRE SAFETY & MONITORING INDOOR AIR QUALITY 101: If wildfire smoke is affecting your area be aware that children are at risk of health effects such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, coughing, and feeling dizzy or lightheaded. Check out the link here or in our story for more info: https://sl1nk.com/1b9klvi

Thanks for joining us at our recent Family Appreciation Events at the Upper Vallet Aquatic Center and Montshire Museum o...
07/07/2026

Thanks for joining us at our recent Family Appreciation Events at the Upper Vallet Aquatic Center and Montshire Museum of Science! 📸Photos by the wonderful Kata S. Sasvari ☀️

Thanks for hosting us: Upper Valley Aquatic Center and Montshire Museum of Science 🏊‍♂️🔬

06/22/2026

🥕🍅GROW YOUR OWN! 🫜🪏Whether in a windowsill planter or a full-blown , growing herbs or vegetables is a simple way to save money, avoid pesticides, and help kids learn where their food comes from. Make sure to first test your soil’s lead
concentration before growing food in it. You may
need to bring in clean soil if you have high lead levels
and/or use raised, lined, and sealed garden beds.

🧠Perceived Stress During Pregnancy May Be Associated with Autism-Related Traits in Children An ECHO study involving over...
06/08/2026

🧠Perceived Stress During Pregnancy May Be Associated with Autism-Related Traits in Children

An ECHO study involving over 4,000 mothers and their children across the United States found that higher perceived stress during pregnancy was associated with slightly higher scores on tests measuring social and behavioral traits related to autism in children. This association didn’t differ between boys and girls and remained consistent even when researchers accounted for the mothers’ co-occurring prenatal depressive symptoms.

Stress during pregnancy is normal and common to experience. While the results of this study indicate that there may be a small association between pregnancy stress and autism-related traits, they do not imply that stress during pregnancy causes autism spectrum disorder or autism-related traits to occur in children.

🗣️Expert Insight: “This study provides evidence for small yet significant associations between higher prenatal perceived stress and greater severity of autism-related traits,” said Luke Grosvenor, PhD, of Kaiser Permanente Northern California. “These results could have implications for prenatal mental health screening and behavioral interventions aimed at improving child outcomes.”

Read more about this research: https://duke.is/r/rcxs

05/22/2026

📚NEW ECHO PUBLICATION: Results suggest that limited access to medical services not rurality alone may contribute more meaningfully to disparities in children’s sleep health.

✨ Explore our newly redesigned website! Learn more about our work, browse research topics by focus area and access resou...
04/22/2026

✨ Explore our newly redesigned website! Learn more about our work, browse research topics by focus area and access resources to mitigate health risks. For information regarding your enrollment with our study, be sure to check out our new and improved Participant Portal.
🔬Visit us at: www.ProtectKidsHealth.com 📚

NEW ECHO RESEARCH: Study Investigates Relationship Between Chemical Exposures, Pregnancy Stress, & Birth OutcomesThis st...
02/03/2026

NEW ECHO RESEARCH: Study Investigates Relationship Between Chemical Exposures, Pregnancy Stress, & Birth Outcomes

This study found that exposure to chemicals commonly found in consumer products was associated with shorter pregnancies and lower among women experiencing anxiety during or after pregnancy. While the results were mixed, the researchers observed some patterns where effects of chemical exposures were strongest among mothers who experienced depression and anxiety. These findings suggest that screening for depression and anxiety during pregnancy could help identify women who may be at a higher risk of adverse birth outcomes.

With the holiday season in full swing, check out our guide to microplastics and recommendations to consider safer, eco-f...
12/08/2025

With the holiday season in full swing, check out our guide to microplastics and recommendations to consider safer, eco-friendly solutions when shopping for toys and other products for your family!

Meet the Investigators: Dr. Caitlin Howe ✨Dr. Howe’s research investigates how environmental and epigenetic factors sha...
11/19/2025

Meet the Investigators: Dr. Caitlin Howe ✨Dr. Howe’s research investigates how environmental and epigenetic factors shape health with a focus on the developmental origins of disease. Her research applies novel methods for evaluating how complex mixtures of contaminants, especially metals, impact early growth and cardiometabolic health. She also uses bioinformatic approaches to assess how exposures in utero and early childhood affect the epigenome and transcriptome, and in turn children’s health. Through this work, Dr. Howe aims to identify preventive strategies that improve long-term health, including interventions that reduce toxicant exposures and protect against their effects.

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One Medical Center Drive, Dartmouth Medical School
Lebanon, NH
03756

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