Chemicals Causing Brain Damage in our Children? Can this be?

A study published in The Lancet Neurology in March, 2014, and further reported upon in Time and Forbes magazines as well as by Dr. Mary Ackerley clearly demonstrates a direct link between 11 industrial chemicals and the development of our childrens’ brains resulting in reduced IQ, autism, ADHD, increased aggression tendencies, delinquent behaviors, and dyslexia.  These are commonly used chemicals.

So what about the genetic factor?  Doesn’t this have a major role in these problems?  Yes, it does account for about 30-40% of the neurological problems in children today.  The remaining 60 – 70% is caused by chemicals in our environment.

So, what are these chemicals and where are they found?  

Lead – still present in the old paint in buildings – as it turns into dust in the air and on the floor – lowers IQ, linked to brain development deficits

Methylmercury – presence due to maternal intake of fish containing high levels of mercury during pregnancy (such as tuna, swordfish, mackerel, orange roughy, and shark)

PCBs – these chemicals are linked to reduced thinking ability in infancy and childhood;  present in electric transformer materials as well as motors and capacitors; often found in fish

Arsenic – found in soil and water (and thus in our food supply), it is also legally fed to chickens (other than organic)

Toluene – this is absorbed into our bodies through fingernail polish (unless stated “toluene free”) and paint thinner and other solvents

Manganese – found in drinking water; absorption is increased in the presence of fluoride – linked to ADHD and diminished intellectual ability

Fluoride – higher levels connected with a 7 point decrease in IQ in children. Mary Ackerley, MD, MD(H), a Harvard trained psychiatrist teaches us that “Of all these neurotoxins perhaps the most widely available is fluoride.  Over 70 percent of public water is fluorinated to improve dental health.  Yet there have been more than 23 human studies and 100 animal studies linking fluoride to brain damage.”

Chlorpyrifos (organophosphate pesticide) and DDT – these are banned in the US but are still in use in agriculture in many other countries; still found here in infant cord blood samples and linked to brain developmental problems that persist up to age 7

Tetrachloroethylene – used in dry cleaning; linked to hyperactivity and aggressive behaviors as well as increased risk of psychiatric diagnoses; ** mothers in certain professions such as nursing, chemist, hairdressers have a greater exposure

Flame retardants – these are omnipresent in our society – in our cars, our mattresses, airplanes, decorative wood products, roofing components (see list here) – prenatal exposure linked to neurodevelopmental disorders

BPA (bisphenol A) – a common additive to most plastics, is a potent endocrine system disruptor and is strongly suggested to disrupt neurodevelopment in children – look for the “BPA free” labels!

A further cautionary note from Dr. Ackerley, based on these studies, “The take home message is clear.  When we ponder why the rate of childhood autism has skyrocketed to 1 in 77 males or why so many children are now diagnosed with ADHD, the role of numerous toxins documented to cause neuronal damage , both in isolation and synergistically in combination, must be considered. Eating organic and living toxin free may seem expensive in the short term, but long term it may prevent untold future brain damage across generations.”

You can learn more following the links above.

Let’s protect our children!