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October 14, 2006
Smoking While Pregnant May Cause ADHD and/or Antisocial Behavior
An alarming, estimated nearly 4 million children in America have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD is a brain disorder that affects between 4 and 12 percent of school-age children. For many years the causes have been unknown, but researchers may be closer to an answer than ever before. Following testing of over thousands of blood samples taken from children, scientists have finally found a connection to ADHD with tobacco and lead. The children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy were 2 ½ times more likely to have ADHD than the children who were not pre-nattily exposed to tobacco. As many as 1 in 3 women smoke while they are pregnant, says a new Welsh survey has discovered. Children with blood lead levels of more than 2 micrograms per deciliter were four times more likely to have ADHD than children with levels below 0.8 microgram per deciliter. The government's "acceptable" blood lead level is 10 micrograms per deciliter, and an estimated 310,000 U.S. children ages 1 to 5 have levels exceeding that. And the children that were exposed to certain lead concentrations in their blood had four times the risk. Lead based paint can still be found in many homes built before 1978. Studies suggest the importance of staying away from smoke and lead during pregnancy. But experts fear they're not the only culprits. Everyday we're exposed to countless pollutants, chemicals and preservatives. Mount Sinai Medical Center's Doctor Leonardo Trasande says many other toxins could be playing a role in neurological disorders like ADHD. "There are some 80,000 chemicals in the environment many of which are likely to impact brain development during the prenatal period." Studies are now underway to find out which of those toxins may cause problems. But it's going to take lots of time, money and patience.
By: Margo Richter
Sources: Mount Sinai Medical Center, Dr. Leonardo Trasande; www.webmd.com; http://health.dailynewscentral.com
Posted by margo1 at October 14, 2006 02:16 PM
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