Language Development of Young Children Is Not Linked to Phthalate Exposure-Reply

The association of prenatal phthalates, organophosphorous pesticides, and organophosphate esters with early child language ability in Norway

BACKGROUND

Prenatal exposure to phthalates, organophosphate esters, and organophosphorous pesticides have been associated with neurodevelopmental deficits including language ability, however, few studies consider the effect of exposure mixtures and the potential longitudinal detriments over time.

OBJECTIVE

This study examines the influence of prenatal exposure to phthalates, organophosphate esters, and organophosphorous pesticides, on children's language ability from toddlerhood to the preschool period.

METHODS

This study includes 299 mother-child dyads from Norway in the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). Prenatal exposure to chemicals were assessed at 17 weeks' gestation, and child language skills were assessed at 18 months using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire communication subscale and at preschool age using the Child Development Inventory. We ran two structural equation models to examine the simultaneous influences of chemical exposures on parent-reported and teacher-reported child language ability.

RESULTS

Prenatal organophosphorous pesticides were negatively associated with preschool language ability through language ability at 18 months. Additionally, there was a negative association between low molecular weight phthalates and teacher-reported preschool language ability. There was no effect of prenatal organophosphate esters on child language ability at either 18 months or preschool age.

CONCLUSIONS

This study adds to the literature on prenatal exposure to chemicals and neurodevelopment and highlights the importance of developmental pathways in early childhood.

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals and child health

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are chemicals which are introduced into the environment by human activities. In many cases it has been proven that EDCs can cause adverse health effects in the human. EDCs are classified by their chemical structure, putative direct or indirect effects on endocrine glands and systems, may accumulate and persist in organisms and in the environment, and/or they may exert clinically observable and measurable effects. Often, EDCs may act in concert and as mixtures. Legislation to ban EDCs and protect especially pregnant women and children at young age are needed and needs to be revised and adjusted to new developments on a regular basis. Putative associations, in spite of sometimes conflicting results, have to be analyzed in in vitro model systems be it in cell biology, in vitro settings or animal studies in more detail. This chapter depicts the mainly positive albeit detrimental epidemiological findings for EDC-caused effects in the fields of growth and metabolism, neurocognitive development and sexual development and reproduction.