October is Children’s Health Month, and the first Monday of October is Children’s Health Day.
Children’s optimal health and development is vital to our future, and these calendar observances present opportunities to promote efforts that advance children’s well-being.
However, all too often consideration of the role of the physical environment and exposures to environmental hazards is excluded or downplayed in consequential decision-making on matters that affect or address children’s health and child health equity. These factors can and do contribute to the development of chronic illness and developmental disabilities in children, and unfortunately many of these conditions have been increasing in prevalence over the past few decades.
We must build awareness of, and action around, children’s environmental health, especially because it is possible to create safer and healthier environments for our children. CEHN established a day in Children’s Health Month specific to this effort.
Children’s Environmental Health Day (CEH Day) is observed on the 2nd Thursday of every October; this year it is October 11, 2018.
Click the CEH Day logo to learn more about CEH Day and actions that you can take right now to champion and uphold a commitment to children’s environmental health in your community, and to help raise your voice to federal leaders to recommit to protecting the health of our environment and of our children.
Click here to help us continue to bring together and highlight the critical work being done to protect children's health, galvanize support, and motivate society to take action.
Support improved children's environmental health this month:
1) Join CEHN's Youth Engagement Twitter Chat on Oct. 11 2PM ET. Let us know you plan to join the conversation here and follow us @CEHN.
2) Click here for ideas and resources on ways to take action promoting CEH all month, and add your action to the CEH Day Events & Activities Map!
3) Send a e-message to your Congressional leaders demanding protection of EPA’s Office of Children’s Health Protection from any attempts to dismantle, re-organize, or reduce that office’s abilities and authorities. Click here to learn more and send your message!
4) Learn more about CEH issues using the resources on CEHN's website. Start here!