Abstract
Interdisciplinary approaches are needed to measure the additive or multiplicative impacts of chemical and non-chemical stressors on child development outcomes. The lack of interdisciplinary approaches to environmental health and child development has led to a gap in the development of effective intervention strategies. It is hypothesized that a broader systems approach can support more effective interventions over time. To achieve these goals, detailed study protocols are needed. Researchers in child development typically focus on psychosocial stressors. Less attention is paid to chemical and non-chemical stressors and how the interaction of these stressors may impact child development. This feasibility study aims to bridge the gap between child development and environmental epidemiology research by trialing novel methods of gathering ultrafine particle data with a wearable air sensor, while simultaneously gathering language and noise data with the Language Environment Analysis (LENA) system. Additionally, psychosocial data (e.g., parenting quality, caregiver depression, and household chaos) was gathered from parent reports. Child participants (age 3–4 years) completed cognitive tasks to assess self-regulation and receptive language skills, and provided a biospecimen analyzed for inflammatory biomarkers. Data collection was completed at two time points, roughly corresponding to fall and spring. Twenty-six participants were recruited for baseline data, and 11 participants completed a follow-up session. Preliminary results indicate that it is feasible to gather personal Particulate Matter (PM2.5), language, and noise data, cognitive assessments, and biospecimens from our sample of 3-4-year-old children. While there are obstacles to overcome when working with this age group, future studies can benefit from adapting lessons learned regarding recruitment strategies, study design, and protocol implementation.
Highlights
In an increasingly complex world, it is recognized that traditional environmental health research evaluating chemical and non-chemical stressors separately is insufficient in addressing future challenges, and more complex approaches and interdisciplinary strategies are needed [1,2,3,4,5,6]
Demographics were organized by recruitment method, where tabling events included recruitment at the preschools, museum, or community center, and referral-based included those who were referred by other participants or word of mouth
Real-time data collection of air quality and noise using wearables on 3- to 4-year-old children presents many challenges, which are among the top reasons prior studies have not attempted to do so
Summary
In an increasingly complex world, it is recognized that traditional environmental health research evaluating chemical and non-chemical stressors separately is insufficient in addressing future challenges, and more complex approaches and interdisciplinary strategies are needed [1,2,3,4,5,6]. More sophisticated interdisciplinary approaches to measuring the additive or multiplicative impacts on child developmental outcomes are needed [8,9,10,11,12]. Environmental epidemiologists are often trained in exposure science, with less attention to understanding the subtle impacts on child development. Scholars in child development focus on psychosocial processes with less attention towards understanding how psychosocial and chemical factors may intersect to exacerbate or protect child growth and development. To truly capture the unique cumulative exposures to physical, social, and behavioral risk factors, multi-disciplinary teams, including both environmental and social scientists, are needed
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