ADHD and Pesticides - What Can You Do to Protect Your Children?

If you're like most parents, you badger your kids topound -- do your kids eat more strawberries or drink
eat more fruit and veggies. Just when you thoughtmore water?
you were making some progress, influentialBack in 1974, Consumer Reports published a series
researchers tell us pesticides used to grow thesetitled, "Is The Water Safe To Drink?" They concluded
important food groups could be causing ADHD.that pesticides and carcinogens were not being
In the study, published in the prestigious journalremoved by US water supply systems. Nothing
Pediatrics, ninety-four percent of the 1000 childrenchanged.
tested were positive for pesticidesNearly 20 years later, in 1995, the Environmental
(organophosphates). Those with higher levels wereWorking Group conducted their own study, reporting
twice as likely to have ADHD symptoms than thethe results as "Weed Killers By The Glass." They
rest.found that major agricultural herbicides were routinely
What is ADHD? Attention Deficit Hyperactivityfound in tap water at levels that exceeded Federal
Disorder. Basically, children (and adults) with thishealth standards and that conventional water
diagnosis have chronic inattention, impulsivetreatment does not remove these contaminants.
hyperactivity, or both, that interferes with dailyStill nothing has changed. Antiquated US water
activity. They can have difficulty making friends, andtreatment systems use mechanical filtration and not
are more likely to fall behind in school work, useactivated carbon. Sand simply doesn't filter out these
alcohol or tobacco, and suffer injuries.man-made chemicals.
The percentage of children with ADHD has risenIt's possible that you and your kids are gulping down
slightly from 6% in 1997 to 8% in 2008. Today therean unhealthy dose of contaminants in every glass
are an estimated 4.5 million children with this diagnosis,you drink. Far more than in a bowl of strawberry
and 2.5 million are on medications to control theshortcake or a blueberry waffle.
symptoms. Could this epidemic have been prevented?What can you do?
Children, being smaller than adults and growing like,Buy organic fruits and vegetables that you'll eat
well, weeds, are more vulnerable to contaminantswithout peeling or that have a thin skin (peaches,
from their environment. So the more fruits andplums, tomatoes, etc.). Wash everything else
vegetables they do eat, the more pesticide residuethoroughly before eating or cooking.
builds up in their bodies.But most importantly, install a home water filtration
Though the study didn't determine how the kidssystem. For about ten cents a gallon, you can ensure
were exposed, the most likely sources are eatingthat your family isn't drinking pesticides, herbicides,
contaminated food, breathing in the compounds, orfertilizer, petroleum by-products, pharmaceuticals,
drinking tap water. And though the results are notsoap, chlorine, chloramines, and any of a host of
conclusive at proving the link between diagnosis andother man-made toxins.
pesticides, the study does indicate more research isMaybe you can't convince your kids to give up
needed.Gummy Bears and Big Macs. But you can know that
We know that the EPA regulates residue levels inthe water they drink and the fruits & veggies they
food -- but how much is too much for the brain? Wewill eat are safe and free from man-made
don't know. But this new study implies we need tocontaminants. Your efforts might save them from a
take a closer look.lifelong struggle with ADHD that could have been
Earlier studies have shown that eating organicallyprevented.
grown produce can reduce pesticide levels nearly toHealthy water is the first step.
zero. But what about our drinking water? Pound for