| It seems that we are in the middle of an Autism | | | | Pesticides – It is a known fact that |
| epidemic, if you consider that autism is affecting 1 | | | | organophosphates are developmental |
| in 150 children and that the Center of Disease | | | | neurotoixcants, meaning that they are toxic and |
| Control and Prevention have upgraded the | | | | adversely affect the brain, and there have been |
| disorder to a classification of “urgent health | | | | many different studies linking the use of |
| threat”, and many would argue that this | | | | organophosphate pesticides to impaired memory, |
| epidemic is due to our toxic and hostile | | | | hyperactivity and developmental problems. |
| environment. | | | | PCBs – Chemicals like PCBs and dioxins do not |
| The world has changed over the past few | | | | biodegrade easily and tend to bioaccumulate in the |
| decades and we now live in a world whose air, | | | | food chain, meaning that they are in the food that |
| water and soil are contaminated by pollution, | | | | we eat. They can also be present in our water |
| toxins and chemicals. We just can't escape these | | | | and in the air. Unfortunately, PCBs are actually |
| toxins, everywhere we go we are bombarded by | | | | stored in our body's fat stores, rather than being |
| them in the air, our food, medicines we take, and | | | | excreted, and are present in our blood and in |
| our homes and gardens. Research has suggested | | | | breastmilk. One statistic says that breastfed |
| that these environmental toxins are responsible | | | | babies are actually exposed to 50 times higher |
| for many health problems and illnesses, and that | | | | levels of dioxin than an average adult! Exposure to |
| they can affect the growth and development of | | | | these chemicals can lead to attention deficits, |
| our children. Asthma, eczema, leukemia, cancer, | | | | lower than average IQs, hyperactivity and learning |
| allergies, learning problems and behavioral disorders | | | | disabilities. |
| are all on the increase and many scientists believe | | | | Nicotine – We all know that smoking and |
| that this is because of the toxic load that our | | | | passive smoking are bad for us and that they |
| children's bodies are exposed to. | | | | cause cancer, but researchers are now linking |
| The Environmental Factors that May Cause | | | | nicotine to autism and other developmental |
| Autism | | | | disorders. Studies have found that smoking |
| The following environmental factors are all | | | | mothers have babies who have an increased risk |
| believed to be causes or triggers of autism and | | | | of developing learning disorders, low IQs and |
| other developmental disorders:- | | | | attention deficits. Pregnant women who are |
| Heavy metals – Heavy metals such as | | | | exposed to passive smoking can have babies who |
| mercury, cadmium, lead and manganese are all | | | | are at a greater risk of low IQs, speech problems |
| present in our environment and heavy metal | | | | and language problems. |
| poisoning has been linked to autism. Mercury is | | | | Solvents – Solvents, such as ethanol in alcohol |
| used as a preservative (thimerosal) in certain | | | | and chemicals found in paints, glues, varnishes and |
| medicines and vaccines, and the symptoms of | | | | cleaning products, are neurotoxicants which can |
| mercury poisoning (speech problems, sensory | | | | cause damage to children's brains and also disrupt |
| abnormalities, learning difficulties and social | | | | hormones. Studies have linked solvents to |
| problems) are practically identical to autism | | | | behavioral difficulties, learning problems, impaired |
| symptoms. Cadmium is found in our drinking | | | | memory, low IQs, attention deficits and |
| water and our air, from pollution, and a build up of | | | | hyperactivity. |
| it in the body has been linked to cognitive | | | | Vaccines – Everyone who has watched Oprah |
| impairment. Lead can be found in old paint, old | | | | and Larry King had heard of the vaccine/autism |
| water pipes and also leaded fuel, and high levels of | | | | debate and how many children have developed |
| it in children's bodies has been found to cause | | | | autism symptoms within days of receiving |
| learning problems, aggression, ADD and learning | | | | childhood vaccines like the MMR. Generation |
| difficulties. Manganese, at high levels, can cause | | | | Rescue, Jenny McCarthy's organization, link the |
| hyperactivity and learning problems. | | | | amount of vaccines that children now receive (36 |
| Mercury emissions – As well as being present | | | | between birth and the age of 6) with the rise in |
| in some medicines and vaccines, mercury is also | | | | autism. |
| present in emissions from concrete | | | | As you can see from this list of potential autism |
| manufacturing, industrial boilers, coal-fired utility | | | | triggers, pregnant women and children are |
| plants and waste incinerators. A study by the | | | | bombarded every day by these toxins and so |
| University of Texas Health Science Center | | | | they could well be causing autism or triggering it in |
| (UTHSC) has linked the rise in autism cases with | | | | children who are genetically susceptible. |
| proximity to the source of mercury emissions. | | | | |