The damage is done

Hyperactivity one potential impact of environmental contamination

By: Suzanne Elston

  Almost right from the minute he was born, our son Matthew was a busy boy. By the time he'd started school, he was quite a handful. At ten, he was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD.
  We've suspected all along that Matthew's behavior was somehow linked with a chemical imbalance. For years I couldn't figure out how this could've happened. When I was pregnant, I wouldn't put anything in my mouth or near my body that could possibly harm my baby - or so I thought. I avoided everything from second-hand smoke to household cleaners. I even went nine months without a cup of coffee. When it came time to deliver, it was strictly au naturel. As an infant, Matthew was fed exclusively on breast milk until he graduated to our own organically grown vegetables. Over the years, we've tried to eliminate food additives and other possible chemical triggers from his diet. In short, we couldn't point to a single factor that could be causing his behavior, or help to improve it. We even tried Ritalin, with little success.
 

Despite my precautions during pregnancy, I was unknowingly exposed to all the environmental contaminants that pollute the air and water in the Great Lakes basin

  Now these two new reports have finally given us some insight into what may have happened. Despite my precautions during pregnancy, I was unknowingly exposed to all the environmental contaminants that pollute the air and water in the Great Lakes basin.
  As much as our son's behavior is difficult to live with, his symptoms are mild compared with some of the disabilities linked with neurological toxins. According to the studies, mental retardation, birth defects and autism are caused, at least in part, by toxic exposure. The U.S. report says that disabilities in more than 360,000 children can be directly attributed to chemical exposure, and that figure could go much higher. In total, 12 million U.S. children - or one out of every six kids - has some kind of developmental, learning or behavioral disability.
  On a national scale, this is nothing short of a major environmental disaster. We are permanently damaging our most precious resource. But for the families who struggle with these children day to day, the question becomes, "What now?' After all these years of searching, finally finding the possible cause of Matthew's uncontrollable behavior is cold comfort. Despite our best intentions in the world, the damage has already been done.

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