How does regular microplastic exposure affect children's growth and physical development?

What's actually in it

Children are exposed to microplastics through food, water, formula, and mouthing plastic toys. Because they eat and drink more relative to their body size than adults, their microplastic dose per kilogram of body weight is higher. They also spend more time on floors where microplastic-containing dust settles.

The concern for children specifically is that microplastics can disrupt the hormones and gut function that regulate growth during a period when those systems are developing.

What the research says

A 2026 review on the effects of microplastic exposure on the growth and development of children found multiple mechanisms by which microplastics affect children: endocrine disruption through plasticizer chemicals, gut microbiome alteration affecting nutrient absorption, inflammation interfering with growth signaling, and neurological effects from plastic particles reaching brain tissue.

The review found that children with higher microplastic exposure in studies showed more disrupted growth trajectories. The effect is not just from the plastic particles themselves but from the cocktail of chemicals they carry: phthalates, bisphenols, and absorbed environmental chemicals that all affect hormonal development.

The practical reduction strategy for children is the same as adults but more urgent: filtered water, glass or stainless containers, fresh food over packaged, and minimal plastic toy exposure especially for items that go in the mouth.