|
http://www.igc.org/psr/ihw.htm
Addresses Toxic Chemical Influences on Developmental Disabilities
Learning, behavioral and developmental disabilities
including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
and autism prevent our children from reaching their full
human potential. Seventeen percent of children in the
United States have been diagnosed with one or more
developmental disabilities. These disorders have
widespread societal implications, from health and
education costs to the repercussions of criminal behavior.
Though trends are difficult to establish with certainty,
there is a growing consensus that learning and behavioral
disorders are increasing in frequency.
These disabilities are clearly the result of complex
interactions among genetic, environmental and social
factors that impact children during vulnerable periods of
development. Research demonstrates that pervasive toxic
substances, such as mercury, lead, PCBs, dioxins,
pesticides, solvents, and others, can contribute to
neurobehavioral and cognitive disorders. Human exposure to
neurotoxic substances is widespread. A review of the top
twenty chemicals reported released under the 1997 Toxics
Release Inventory reveals that nearly three-quarters are
known or suspected neurotoxicants. Over a billion pounds
of these neurotoxic chemicals were released on-site by
facilities into the air, land or water. As our knowledge
about these neurotoxic chemicals has increased, the
"safe" threshold of exposure has been
continuously revised downward. Toxic exposures deserve
special scrutiny because they are preventable causes of
harm.
In 1998 GBPSR launched the project
In Harm's Way: Toxic Threats to Child
Development to address this important
issue.
Facts of Concern
| Fact: According
to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, 17% of children under 18 in the U.S.
have one or more developmental disabilities. |
 |
Fact: Attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is
considered a common syndrome that affects 3-6% of
all school children. Ongoing studies suggest the
incidence may be much higher.
Fact: Some
commonly used pesticides cause lifelong
hyperactivity in rodents exposed to a single small
amount on a critical day of brain development.
Fact: Fetal
mercury exposure may impair learning, memory, and
attention in children as they grow older. |
Fact: IQ
deficits in adolescent children are linked to
fetal PCB exposure.
Fact: Studies
suggest there are both genetic and environmental
components to autism. |
(Facts are referenced in the report In Harm's Way:
Toxic Threats to Child Development)
In Harm's Way Report
Download
http://www.igc.org/psr/ihw-report_dwnld.htm#ihwRptDwnld
Please
note before proceeding!
The In
Harm's Way report is in Adobe
.pdf format. In order to view a file in .pdf format you
will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your
computer. If you do not have this free software, please click
here to download.
Errata:
1) page 84 - "Second, the low
concentrations of chlorpyrifos necessary to impair DNA
synthesis and cell division are actually lower than
exposure levels of children under some pesticide home-use
conditions." Should read: "Second, the exposures
to chlorpyrifos shown to impair DNA synthesis and cell
division in animal tests are only about 4-5 times higher
than potential exposure levels of children under some
pesticide home-use conditions."
2) page 66-67 - "Based on the
Seychelles study the Agency for Toxic Substances and
Disease Registry (ATSDR) has established a minimum risk
level for oral exposure to methylmercury at 0.5
mg/kg/day." should read "....0.3
mg/kg/day."
3) page 94 - Delete "H"
under dioxin.
For how to take action in your community, and for other
information related to In Harm's Way, go to http://www.preventingharm.org/
In Harm's
Way Materials Download
http://www.igc.org/psr/ihw-materials_dwnld.htm#ihwFactSheetDwnld
 DOWNLOAD
the REPORT in PDF format
A 140 page, fully referenced, peer reviewed
report, addressing the links between toxic
chemicals in our environment and learning,
behavioral and developmental disabilities in
children.
|
|
"Out
of Harm's Way" Fact Sheet Series for Health
Professionals and Patients:
PowerPoint Presentation "In Harm's Way
Training Program for Health Professionals"
(69 slides, notes and references in 3 files)
1.The
presentation has been divided into 3 files for
easier downloading and portability on disk. To
combine them into one file without changing text
and graphics, you must import into a blank
template and then overlay "Capsules"
template on them.
2. User needs to go to "notes view" to
read/print notes. It is best to click on the
notes text boxes to read notes and references,
because some slides have text that runs over
onto new pages which you will not see if you do
not click on the text box.
3. In order to read the notes on-line you need
to go to "Edit" and then "Edit
Slide" mode and then "View Notes
page."
4. The authors of the PowerPoint Presentation
"In Harm's Way: Toxic Threats to Child
Development" do not authorize changes to
any text or graphics and are not responsible for
the accuracy of material if changes have been
made.
PowerPoint
Presentation with Audio can be viewed online:
The speakers in the order of their
appearance are Jill Stein MD, Ted
Schettler MD MPH, and David Wallinga MD.
Thank you to Dr. Barbara
Sattler and Kate McPhaul at the University of
Maryland for making this presentation possible.
The
presentation plays on Real Player
which can be downloaded for free at http://www.real.com/.
Please
note:
Viewers may have difficulty viewing the
presentation on a dial-up
modem connection
to the Internet. The presentation is best viewed
on a
broadband connection
to the Internet.
|
|
Dental
Information 
