Pesticides linked to ADHD diagnosis
Pesticides linked to ADHD diagnosis: how to protect your children
Because researchers in the US and Canada have recently found a link between pesticides and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, its now more important than ever to make sure that your children are eating foods that are pesticide free.
The study, published recently in the Journal of Pediatrics, found that children with high levels of pesticide residue in their urine, especially often-used pesticides such as malathion, were more likely to have ADHD. How much more likely? Kids with high levels of pesticide residue were diagnosed with ADHD at almost twice the rate of children with no such residues.
This study is somewhat unique because it looks at average children, wherease other studies on pesticide effects on children have primarily focused on the children of farm workers. Additionally, since pesticides usually leave the system within a few days, the study suggests that the exposure is most likely constant. Kids bodies do not metabolize pesticides the way adults’ do, so their risk of harm is greater.
What can parents do? The best prevention is to buy organic produce that has not been treated with pesticides. This applies especially to fruits and vegetables that grow in the ground or that have skin, as these are most likely to be contaminated. Wash all produce thoroughly with cold runner water (not with soap!), and even rinse frozen fruits and vegetables. You might even want to scrub firm-skinned produce with a brush.
