{"id":974,"date":"2010-05-13T00:04:58","date_gmt":"2010-05-13T04:04:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itstheenvironmentstupid.com\/?p=974"},"modified":"2010-05-13T00:30:49","modified_gmt":"2010-05-13T04:30:49","slug":"974","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itstheenvironmentstupid.com\/?p=974","title":{"rendered":"How Toxic Chemicals are Damaging Our Children’s Minds"},"content":{"rendered":"

Executive Summary, MIND, DISRUPTED, 2009<\/em><\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a> What do we know about the relationship between
exposures to toxic chemicals and
learning and developmental disabilities? In light of the significant increases in the incidence of autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder DHD),and other learning and developmental disabilities, what role might environmental toxins play in undermining healthy development of the brain and nervous system? How might certain environmental pollutants exacerbate the health conditions of those who already have a earning, developmental or behavioral disorder?<\/p>\n

Twelve leaders and self-advocates from the learning and developmental disabilities community recently stepped forward to have their bodies tested for the presence of a set of chemicals that are known or suspected to be neurotoxicants, hazardous to nerve cells, or endocrine disruptors with the potential to alter normal hormone function. This report is a synthesis of the results of these tests and the experiences of the participants. It is intended to spotlight these pressing questions and prompt actions to reduce exposures that may impair how we think\u2014and, in the most basic ways, who we are.<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a> The Mind, Disrupted Biomonitoring Project tested for the presence of a set of synthetic chemicals and heavy metals, including bisphenol A (BPA), organochlorine pesticides, perchlorate, triclosan, perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), lead and mercury. Sixty-one distinct chemicals were detected in the participants. All participants were found to have detectable levels of BPA, mercury, lead, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), perchlorate, and organochlorine pesticides.<\/p>\n

This is the first biomonitoring project targeting a particular sector; namely, the learning and developmental disabilities sector. It is important to point out, however, that Mind, Disrupted did not attempt to correlate the presence or levels of chemicals with presence, type or severity of disability. Given the current state of knowledge, no one is able to say that an exposure to a specific chemical causes a specific developmental disability. Even so, a growing number of researchers and health professionals are concerned that some chemicals, found in everyday products, may be disrupting healthy neurological development in unintended ways and potentially intensifying the health concerns of those who already have learning and developmental disabilities.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe overwhelming evidence shows that certain environmental
exposures can contribute to lifelong learning and developmental disorders,\u201d said Ted Schettler, MD, MPH, Science Director for the Science and Environmental Health Network (SEHN). \u201cWe should eliminate children\u2019s exposures to substances that we know can have these impacts by implementing stronger health-based policies requiring safer alternatives. Furthermore, we must urgently examine
other environmental contaminants of concern for which safety data are lacking.\u201d<\/p>\n

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) NHANES biomonitoring study indicates that most Americans carry a burden of environmental chemicals in their bodies.1 These chemical body burdens are unnecessary, preventable, and may be potentially harmful. An updated federal law could result in lowered toxic chemical body burdens, as was demonstrated by biomonitoring studies after lead was better regulated in the United States and PBDEs were banned in Sweden.<\/p>\n

In summary, the financial and emotional costs of learning and developmental disabilities are already overwhelming families and communities. In the current health care crisis, we need to take every action possible to prevent and abate the growing incidence of health problems. When we have had the political will to reduce exposure to harmful substances from our environment\u2014such as lead\u2014we have saved billions of dollars as well as increased the quality of life of millions of individuals, families and their communities. 2 We now have the opportunity to fundamentally change the federal law regulating how we develop and produce chemicals, so the health of current and future generations is not compromised. Reducing exposures to toxic chemicals will in turn lead to a healthier population, and a reduction in health care costs.<\/p>\n

This report captures the participants\u2019 experience of being tested and their reflections on what this means for them personally and for society as a whole. The participants in this study\u2014and countless others suffering from chronic disease and disability in which toxic chemicals may play a role\u2014make it very clear that we cannot afford to wait any longer.<\/p>\n

As Dr. Ted Schettler said in a recent article in the New York
Times in reference to BPA, \u201cWhen you have 92 percent of
the American population exposed to a chemical, this is not
one where you want to be wrong. Are we going to quibble
over individual rodent studies, or are we going to act?\u201d3
In short, the mounting scientific evidence indicates that
if we do not reduce our exposure to toxic chemicals and
develop safer alternatives, the already-staggering cost
of learning and developmental disabilities will likely increase
even more, adding millions to those already facing
disabilities and unduly undermining their ability to reach
their fullest potential. [Go to full Report PDF]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is the Executive Summary for “Mind, Disrupted,” a detailed and well-supported report on the mental effects of our national exposure to toxic chemicals, with a link to the full report.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":""},"categories":[17,401],"tags":[453,164,458,310,457,126],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/itstheenvironmentstupid.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/974"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/itstheenvironmentstupid.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/itstheenvironmentstupid.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itstheenvironmentstupid.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itstheenvironmentstupid.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=974"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/itstheenvironmentstupid.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/974\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":987,"href":"https:\/\/itstheenvironmentstupid.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/974\/revisions\/987"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/itstheenvironmentstupid.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itstheenvironmentstupid.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/itstheenvironmentstupid.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}