The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, along with a number of other agencies, will host a conference on children’s environmental health on Oct. 17 in Louisville. The conference, “Children’s Environmental Health: Addressing Key Issues through Education and Outreach,” targets Extension agents and paraprofessionals, health educators, health department personnel, family resource center workers and community representatives who work with parents and childcare providers, said Kim Henken, UK Extension associate for environmental issues.The program is being planned by the Kentucky Children’s Environmental Working Group that was established in 2001 as part of a special outreach project funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.Our health can be impacted by the environment in which we live, work and play, Henken said. Children are the group at greatest risk from environmental health hazards. Pollutants can cause health problems for children that can follow them throughout their lives, she said. The environmental working group was formed to help educate Kentucky families about environmental health risks and prevention techniques, she said.Topics to be covered at the conference include asthma and environmental triggers; polluted water and health; lead poisoning; and pesticides and health.Dr. Robert Geller, associate professor at the Emory University medical school and medical director of the Georgia Poison Center, will be the featured speaker. Wayne Garfinkel, environmental engineer and children’s environmental health program coordinator for EPA’s Region 4, also will be among the speakers.The conference will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the University of Louisville, Shelby Campus, 9001 Shelbyville Road. Pre-registration is required, and there is a $12 registration fee which includes lunch. Registration forms and a complete agenda are available on the Internet atwww.ca.uky.edu/enri/ceh.htm. For more information, contact Henken at 859-257-7775 or e-mail her at kim.henken@uky.edu.