The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) is making available to Mississippi residents the results of a study of children exposed to the pesticide methyl parathion. In testing for long-term health effects, some children exposed to the chemical exhibited subtle problems with short-term memory, motor skills and behavior, although, overall, the children who completed the testing scored in the average range, that is, their scores were no different from unexposed children on most tests.

The draft health study is available for public comment at three local repositories. The public comment period has been extended through November 1. A community meeting originally scheduled for September 25 in Pascagoula, Mississippi was canceled because of extreme weather conditions from Tropical Storm Isidore.

As recently as 1996, methyl parathion was illegally used in Mississippi homes and businesses to kill cockroaches; methyl parathion is only licensed for outdoor use. In addition to Mississippi, homes and businesses in Ohio and other states were contaminated. An estimated 1,500 homes were sprayed in 29 counties.

Methyl parathion is a man-made pesticide approved for outdoor use only. When used as intended, the chemicals in methyl parathion are rapidly broken down by sunlight. However, when used in homes to eliminate roaches and other insects, the insecticide can persist for a long time. Exposure to high levels of methyl parathion for a short time affects the nervous system. Not much is known, however, about what health problems might come from longer exposure.

Because children are more likely to be affected by hazardous chemicals than adults, the agency studied whether methyl parathion affected the nervous system and certain behaviors in children whose homes were sprayed. These children were called Aexposed children.@ Exposed children either had high levels of methyl parathion in their homes or lived with at least one person who had high levels of methyl parathion in his or her urine. Exposed children were compared with children living nearby whose homes were not sprayed or had low levels of methyl parathion. The study was done in summer 1999 and again in summer 2000 to see if there were any long-term nervous system effects from this exposure. Parents whose children were tested were informed of their child's results within a year following the testing. ATSDR recommends that if parents are concerned about their child's neurobehavioral development they share the test results with their child's doctor.

In the study, ATSDR looked at whether 181 children in Mississippi and 146 children in Ohio had any nervous system development problems or behavioral problems. In the tests that children completed, overall, exposed children scored in the average range, and exposed children were not different from unexposed children on most tests. However, exposed children had subtle problems with short-term memory compared with children whose homes were not sprayed or had low levels of methyl parathion. For the parents' assessment of their children, overall, exposed children scored in the average range. However, parents reported that exposed children had problems with motor skills, were distracted and misbehaved, and were sad and shy compared with children whose homes were not sprayed or had low levels of methyl parathion.

ATSDR is providing parents of children in the study with a two-page summary of the study results.
The public is invited to review the draft health study through November 1, 2002. The complete draft health study is available for public review at the following repositories, located near the testing center areas:

Pascagoula Public Library Moss Point City Library
3214 Pascagoula Street 4401 McInnis Avenue
Pascagoula Moss Point

Hattiesburg, Petal, Forest County Public Library
Hattiesburg

Written comments about the draft health study should be sent to:

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
Attn: Cathy Johnson, Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch,
Division of Health Studies
1600 Clifton Road, N.E., Mail Stop E-31
Atlanta, GA 30333

Comments received during the public comment period will be logged and become part of the administrative record for the health study. Comments (without indication of who made them) and responses will be included in an appendix to the final document. Although names of those who have submitted comments will not be included in the document, they will be subject to release under the Freedom of Information Act.
Community members who would like more information about the health study may contact ATSDR, toll-free, at 1-888-422-8737. Callers should mention the methyl parathion study. Regional representative Bob Safay may also be contacted in Atlanta at 404-562-1782.