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Child Labor and Health: Problems and Perspectives Child labor remains a widespread problem. Although it can have positive effects, in some situations it has negative effects on health and development of the children. Although mainly a problem in developing countries, it is also possible to find child workers, some working in hazardous activities, in developed countries. The authors describe the child labor profiles in developed and developing countries, the principal occupations of children and their concomitant hazards. They summarize the epidemiologic evidence for a greater impact of some occupational exposures on the health of children as compared with adults, and the theoretical concerns about the impact of child labor on health, and suggest policies that can be used to combat harmful child labor.Key words: child labor, developing countries, developed countries, occupational healthCharacteristics of Child Labor in a City in Southern BrazilObjectives: The study describes the characteristics of child labor in an urban population in southern Brazil, work locations and conditions.Methods: We performed a population-based study with a cross-sectional design in a randomized sample of the low-income areas of Pelotas. All children between 6 and 17 years old in the selected areas were interviewed about their work, schooling and health. An adult in the household provided information on the family.Results: Most child labor in the city was illegal. The workers started to work in a very young age, worked in hazardous activities, for long hours, some times at night, and for low wages. Conclusion: The type of work children engage in routinely should be avoided if it involves conditions that could harm the child health and development and disturb school attendance or school performance. It is important to define polices that could avoid harmful child labor, increases awareness about the problem and at the same time offer alternatives to cover the family needs in terms of income.Child Labor and Musculoskeletal Disorders: The Pelotas (Brazil) Epidemiologic Survey Background: Although studies presented a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorder among children, the association of this morbidity with work was not evaluated. This study describes the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in several sites and its association with work adjusting for confounders and mediators.Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study interviewed 3,269 children from 10 to 17 years old in the low-income areas of Pelotas – Brazil. Results: The prevalence of pain in the neck, knee, wrist or hands and upper back was higher than 15%. Workers in manufacture and in domestic services presented a higher risk of pain in any site and particularly in the back, in the year before the interview when compared with non-workers (odds ratios higher than 1.5).Conclusions: Our results suggest that strategies to prevent musculoskeletal disorders in child workers should be developed; but further studies are necessary to deepen the understanding about the association under study.Key Words: child labor, musculoskeletal disorders, back pain, logistic regression, prevalence