12. Neurodevelopmental and Neurobehavioral Effects of Organophosphate Pesticides Exposure in Newborns and Children

Pesticide use is an integral part of our modern society, whether we consider the developed or the developing nations, and their impact on human health is an important research subject. We chose to focus on the organophosphate (OP) pesticides because of their continued use and also because they are potent toxicants and neurological disruptors. Children and the newborn are more susceptible to the toxic effects of pesticides than the adult population. This paper summarizes the findings about neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral effects of OP pesticides exposure in children from birth up to 7 years old. The major problems identified in the literature as the result of long term or sustained pesticide exposure of children pre- and postnatally are the presence of abnormal reflexes in newborns, mental and developmental delays, as well as the impact on behavior, memory and intelligence quotient (IQ) in older children and suggest the existence of a dose dependent inverse correlation between these effects and OP pesticide toxicity. It is important to understand and consider the seriousness of the pesticide problem in our society in order to find ways to mitigate and combat it.