These days, plastics are everywhere — in your brain, bloodstream, and lungs, as well as in pregnant women's placentas, where they can cause long-term damage to a child's cognition, heart health, and fertility.

They're also suspected of causing childhood asthma and leading to hormone disruption, chronic inflammation, IQ reduction, and neurodevelopmental issues such as autism and ADHD. And they’re linked to obesity and other chronic conditions later in a child's life.

A study published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health looked at available research on the impact of three chemicals that leach out of plastics: phthalates used to make plastic flexible; bisphenols, which provide rigidity; and PFAS, which help materials resist heat and repel water.

The conclusion was that when kids are overexposed to plastics, they pay a big price down the road.

Another study suggests that plastic pollution is a major contributor to the 35% increase in childhood cancers over the last five decades.

While exposure cannot be eliminated (plastics are vital in medical environments), the researchers say there's a lot you can do to reduce your child's — and your own — exposure:

• Never microwave anything in plastic or wash plastic items in a dishwasher.

• Always store foods in glass or stainless steel.

• Limit exposure to plastics that may be put in a child's mouth (utensils, pacifiers, etc.).

To transform the health of American children, it's important to transform regulations on the use of chemicals in plastics, and to find ways to remove environmental microplastic pollution.

Let’s encourage that movement by reducing use of plastics at home.