Pesticides and ADHD
The journal Pediatrics reports in its June issue that children exposed to organophosphates, pesticides commonly used on fruits and vegetables, have a higher risk of ADHD. Nearly 40 organophosphate pesticides such as malathion are registered in the United States according to the study’s authors.
"This is a well conducted study," said Dr. Lynn Goldman of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a former EPA administrator.
Dr. Marc Weisskopf of the Harvard School of Public Health and others tracked the pesticides’ breakdown products in children’ urine. They studied 1,139 children between the ages of 8 and 15. The team correlated high levels of organophosphates to the development of ADHD. Children with high levels of organophosphates had nearly twice the likelihood of developing ADHD compared to children without traces of the chemicals. The study’s conclusions were based on data from the general United States population. This means that pesticides may cause neurological changes even at common levels found in the average child’s environment. This would include household pesticides as well as those used on farms.
"There is growing concern that these pesticides may be related to ADHD," said Weisskopf. "What this paper specifically highlights is that this may be true even at low concentrations."
Weisskopf also said that previous research indicated organophosphates had been linked to attention problems and impulsivity although it is unclear how.
Organophosphates actually refers to a group of insecticides or nerve agents that were initially designed for chemical warfare. They target the nervous system of insects or humans (neurotoxic). They came into vogue as pesticides when they were found to degrade quickly after exposure to air, sunlight, and soil.
Although the researchers had no way to determine the source of the breakdown products they found, Weisskopf said the most likely culprits were pesticides and insecticides used on produce and indoors.
"That’s a very strong association that, if true, is of very serious concern," said Weisskopf. "These are widely used pesticides."
The study shows a strong correlation, but not a definitive connection. In other words, this type of study cannot conclusively determine that pesticides cause ADHD. It does warrant further study.
CropLife America (www.croplifeamerica.org) who represents the developers, manufacturers, formulators and distributors of plant science solutions released the following statement after this article was published:
May 16, 2010
WASHINGTON, DC – CropLife America understands that ADHD is a serious disorder that affects many families, and fully supports continuous study to help better understand its cause. However, our review of the published journal story in "Pediatrics," which makes summary of the study, leads us to believe much more research is needed to ascertain if there is a direct link between exposure to organophosphate pesticides and the development of ADHD in children. All crop protection products are extensively reviewed by regulatory agencies before approval for market use. Many scientific factors are examined by government pesticide regulators, based on extensive laboratory testing, all of which are intended to guarantee safety for the environment and people, including children. The class of crop protection compound that is the subject of this study has been approved and registered by the U.S. EPA, and when used according to the label, the EPA has determined it to be safe.
"A good washing of fruits and vegetables before one eats them would definitely help a lot," Weisskopf said.
To be honest, add pesticides to lead, mercury, allergens, thimerosol, etc. The list goes on and on and the research is essentially the same as Weisskopf’s. Could it be a combination of factors? Of chemicals? Of genetics? We don’t know. It’s important to remember that knowing the cause does not necessarily affect the solution. What we do now, how we manage, cope, and guide are vital.
