The product of a conference hosted by the Children’s Environmental Health Center (CEHC) in 2010 has gained publicity in the past few days. Philip Landrigan, MD, MSc, Luca Lambertini, PhD, MPH, MSc, and Linda Birnbaum, Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, recently published an editorial called “A Research Strategy to Discover the Environmental Causes of Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disabilities.” The editorial focuses on certain toxic chemicals that the editors suggest are linked to autism.
Autism Awareness Ribbon
According to the National Academy of Sciences, 3 percent of neurobehavioral disorders in children are caused by exposure to toxins in the environment. The disorders in this category include ADHD and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). An additional 25 percent of these disorders are believed to be caused by a mix of exposure to environmental factors and genetics, though the exact causes are still unknown. Researchers at Mount Sinai have estimated that between 400,000 and 600,000 of the 4 million children born each year in the U.S. are affected by these issues.
For these reasons, Dr. Landrigan, as well as four other editorials, have called for additional studies to be conducted to determine which chemicals might be causing conditions like autism. The CEHC listed ten chemicals it believes to be linked to causing autism and learning disabilities. They are:
1. Lead
2. Methylmercury
3. PCBs
4. Organophosphate pesticides
5. Organochlorine pesticides
6. Endocrine disruptors
7. Automotive exhaust
8. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
9. Brominated flame retardants
10. Perfluorinated compounds
If you or a family member have been injured by exposure to a toxic substance, contact our firm for a complementary consultation. We have over 25 years of experience and would be happy to explain your legal options, free of cost.
For more information on these chemicals and their potential link to autism, please click here.
