What are the Health Effects of Pesticides?

Exposures to a small amount of pesticides are far more common than poisonings from pesticides. Exposure to some pesticides during pregnancy and early childhood, or exposure to small amounts of pesticides over long periods of time, is increasingly linked to chronic disease and other permanent health issues.

If your child comes in contact with a pesticide and shows any of the following signs, call your poison control center right away: rash, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, dizziness, lethargy and weakness.

Long-term exposures to some pesticides during preconception (before pregnancy), pregnancy, and in childhood may affect brain development (including reduced IQ, inattention/ADHD, and autism) and increase risks of developing childhood cancer (brain, leukemia). Pesticide exposures during pregnancy have additionally been associated with adverse birth outcomes such as reduced fetal growth, fetal death, preterm birth, and other developmental issues.