In 1997, federal agencies were issued an executive order to assess risks to children. As a result, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provided over 60 research grants that funded over 100 projects and was credited for providing more than 1,000 scientific journal articles.

The research was able to demonstrate the effects of environmental exposure on young children, ranging from newborns to school-aged, as well as showing protective measures that could be enforced to minimize potential risks.

Through the various research projects, EPA discovered the following:

- An individual's genotype is responsible for determining how they metabolize pesticides. Babies under two years of age face the greatest potential to experience negative effects from pesticides, as they have not yet developed the ability to properly metabolize them.

- Do you live near a major roadway in Southern California? According to EPA's findings, if your child suffers from asthma this may be why.

- Children born after an EPA ban on diainon and chlorpyrifos (household pesticides) are healthier than those who were exposed to the chemicals.

The report also examines the different life stages of children (ie. prenatal, neonatoal, toddler) and topics such as pollutant exposure and the behaviors that affect it, neurological disorders and the early immune function are also covered.

 Hit the jump to view the full report or to read the executive summary.

» U.S. Environmental Protection Agency