Can PFAS exposure in early childhood affect a child's brain and behavior development?

What's actually in it

Children are exposed to PFAS through formula made with contaminated tap water, household dust from PFAS-treated textiles and carpets, food from PFAS-coated packaging, and other daily sources. PFAS body burdens in young children are often higher per kilogram than in adults because children eat and breathe more relative to their size.

The brain develops rapidly from birth through age 5. During this period, it's building the neural circuits for attention, emotional regulation, and social behavior. PFAS disrupt thyroid hormones and other signaling molecules that the brain needs for this construction.

What the research says

A 2026 study in Environ Res measured PFAS levels in young children and assessed neurobehavioral development. Higher PFAS exposure in early childhood was associated with worse scores on attention, social behavior, thought problems, and emotional regulation measures.

The study found associations across multiple behavioral domains, not just one, which suggests PFAS are disrupting broad neurodevelopmental processes rather than one specific pathway. Multiple PFAS compounds contributed to the associations.

Early childhood is a particularly vulnerable window. The behavioral effects seen in these studies may reflect permanent circuit-level changes to how the brain develops, not temporary effects that resolve as exposure decreases.

For young children, the highest-impact ways to reduce PFAS exposure are using a certified PFAS-removing water filter for drinking water and formula, choosing PFAS-free bedding and sleepwear, and keeping dust levels low in the home with HEPA vacuuming.