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Jan 4, 2016/ 0 Comments / in Children, Mold, Neurotoxicity, Pesticides, Uncategorized / by

The American Psychological Association (APA) is waking up to modern society’s chemical assault on psychological processes and function. Although many scientists including myself have expressed enduring and deep concern for neurotoxicity over the past 30 years (in my case, since the early 1980’s), the recognition of the importance of neurotoxicity by establishment organizations and hence the government has lagged.

In this article shown below, the APA focussed on one of many neurotoxic substances found in our environment resulting from industrial processes, manufacturing, and the products of repeated indoor water intrusions (mold). This article is primarily concerned with the effects of endocrine disruptors –  substances which seem ubiquitous in industrialized societies –  though its effect on the individual may be relatively small or even minor compared with other neurotoxicants such as pesticides and mold.

Fortunately, we can reduce our exposure to endocrine disruptors by essentially living a more natural and sustainable lifestyle. For suggestions, see http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/11/13/worst-endocrine-disruptors.aspx or the following for 15 ways to reduce exposure to endocrine disruptors (ED) http://www.drfranklipman.com/15-ways-to-reduce-endocrine-disruptor-exposure-in-your-house/ and http://www.drfranklipman.com/15-ways-to-reduce-endocrine-disruptors-in-your-kitchen/

Perhaps the single most important way to reduce exposure to ED will be to avoid artificially fragranced products, such as cologne, perfume, air fresheners, laundry fabric softeners etc.

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In a 2012 report, the United Nations Environment Programme and World Health Organization (WHO) said endocrine disruptors pose “significant health implications” and called for more research on them. In 2014, an Endocrine Society panel concluded that endocrine disruptors likely contributed to neurobehavioral deficits and disability, including autistic disorders. The panel estimated that the total costs to the EU are some 150 billion euros (U.S. $170 billion) per year in treatment and lost productivity (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2015).

In addition, many researchers suspect that the cumulative effect of endocrine disrupting chemicals is contributing to the rise of neurodevelopmental disorders in children over the past two decades.

“The concentrations of hormones regulating [neurodevelopment] are low in the body, so it doesn’t take much to disrupt the endocrine system,” says psychologist David Bellinger, PhD, senior researcher at Boston Children’s Hospital and a professor of environmental health at the Harvard School of Public Health who has studied the issue. “And that’s not going to [affect] just one cognitive outcome, it’s going to hit many sex and social behaviors.”

October 2015 | Monitor on Psychology

Vol. 46 No. 9

October 2015 | Monitor on Psychology

ON THE COVER:

HOW COMMON CHEMICALS MAY BE DAMAGING CHILDREN’S BRAINS
  • Chemical threats
  • Researchers are discovering potential links between chemicals in common household items and damage to developing brains

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Reference: http://www.apa.org/monitor/2015/10/cover-chemical.aspx

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