Iodine deficiency, pollutant chemicals, and the thyroid: new information on an old problem.

Many women of reproductive age in the United States are marginally iodine deficient, perhaps because the salt in processed foods is not iodized. Iodine deficiency, per se, can interfere with normal brain development in their offspring; in addition, it increases vulnerability to the effects of certain environmental pollutants, such as nitrate, thiocyanate, and perchlorate. Although pregnant and lactating women should take a supplement containing adequate iodide, only about 15% do so.

Health effects of common home, lawn, and garden pesticides.

Children encounter pesticide products and their residues where they live and play and in the food supply. Pesticide exposure affects pediatric health both acutely and chronically; effects range from mild and subtle to severe. Pediatricians play an important role in identifying and reducing significant pesticide exposure in their patients by taking an exposure history to clarify the extent and types of exposures that may have occurred during acute care and preventive care visits.