Last week I was interviewed by Steve Higgs of The Bloomington Alternative. We met for about three hours and talked about Biomedical Interventions for Autism, and about environmental toxins. Mr. Higgs is especially interested in the role of toxins here in the state of Indiana, and how our unique environment impacts the children in this state (and those beyond our borders).
Last night I couldn't sleep. So I got up and fired off a few emails to Mr. Higgs, including copies of some PowerPoint Presentations I gave in April of this year. Among them was a presentation I put together in which I researched some of the specific toxins we have in abundance, here in Southwestern Indiana.
This morning I received an email from Mr. Higgs, with a few questions. Among them was the question of what to call those who seek out my services. Patients? Clients? and how to refer to their diagnoses: ASD?
The result of that email turned into a lengthy response, which I think makes a good blog post, so here it is:
As far as what to call those who seek my services...clients is more appropriate, I think. I wish I had given you one of my business cards. The tag I use on them (and my "letterhead") is "Family Coaching for Fragile Children." I work with kids (and adults) who have received any number of diagnoses, from chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia in adults to autism, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and Learning Disabilities in kids.
I was thinking about this a lot last night/this morning, and feeling so discouraged because there is SO MUCH to do and often feels like only me to do it.
I had another parent email and call yesterday, with questions about how to get her physician to order the labs we need. This is a 17 year-old with chronic GI pain, upper respiratory infections, strep, bronchitis, etc. (immune system dysfunction) since infancy. At 17, he now has pre-cancerous lesions in his gastroinstinal tract and the parents have been told that things will probably not ever get better for him; he'll just have to learn to live with the pain. The primary care physician has seen this kid probably 100 times in the last 12-13 years and has made numerous referrals to other specialists (GI docs, allergists, therapists, etc.). He has also collected many thousands of dollars from the family and their insurance company over that time. I saw this kid and spent more than 50 hours going over his medical records, abstracting them, putting everything in chronological order, researching and documenting everything that had happened to him since conception. I also spent about 5 hours with the family (and drove almost four hours round-trip to do so). When I wrote up the report, I did it in such a way that everything flowed and made sense. It was this kid's life story. The reason I did this was to be sure to make the case for the doctor, so he would understand the rationale behind what I was asking him to do. He had no problem with it. Said he would order the tests. However, he will not take the time to pick up the phone and call (or have his staff call) the labs to request the test kits. I even provided interactive links and telephone numbers at the end of the report, to make things as simple as possible. All it would take is five minutes and unfortunately, that's something he or his staff has to do. I can't order the kits and neither can the parents. (There are some labs - Great Plains, for example, that make this process much easier by allowing parents to order kits and take them to the doctor for his/her signature. Others are not as user-friendly, but the information provided by the labs is worth the effort, in my opinion.)
This is the most frustrating thing for me. Even when they finally begin to see why this makes sense, it's like pulling teeth to get physicians to change the way they do things. I don't think I explained this blatantly in my powerpoint about Biomedical Interventions, but this is why I talked about the two doctors (Marshall & Warren) who discovered H. pylori bacteria and its role in ulcers. They made the discovery in 1982 and it wasn't until 1995 that "Standard Medical Practice" finally changed from the mantra of "stress causes ulcers" to recognizing that if a bacterial infection was the cause, then it makes sense to treat with an antibiotic. As a result of the extremely slow awakening of the medical community, hundreds of thousands (millions?) of people suffered with ulcers that could have easily been treated. It took 13 years for them to wake up. How many children will we lose in 13 years? (This may be a good time to read the first post on my blog: AUTISM IS TREATABLE)
When we talk about biomedical interventions for autism and other "spectrum disorders" like ADHD, Learning Disabilities, Asperger's, PDD-NOS, bipolar disorder, etc., we are talking about a "whole-body" affliction. That's the major problem with why the medical community is not "on-board." This is completely the opposite of what medical schools have taught for the last few generations, at least. The medical system has moved almost exclusively to specialty care, where you see one doctor for your feet, another doctor for your gut, another doctor for your ears, another doctor for the fungus under your nails, and another doctor for your "mental" or "cognitive" difficulties. Each one sees only a part of the patient, rather than looking at the entire person. The biomedical approach to autism (and other whole-body afflictions) is a systems approach that emphasizes the fact that there is no such thing as mind-body. It's mindbody. All one child; all one word. There is nothing physicially separating the mind from the rest of the body and we need to stop treating our children as if they have been decapitated. What happens in the body affects the brain and vice-versa. This is another reason why the impact of environmental toxins is so important to consider. Lead, mercury, and other heavy metals negatively impact the entire body by damaging enzymatic processes. They cause disruption everywhere. Until we start assessing and addressing the damage caused by environmental toxins, everything else we do is just bandaids.
Marci
Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label environment. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Friday, July 18, 2008
Environmental Toxins and Autism in Indiana
Here we go again. Today is the third day in a row that the Evansville and Southwestern Indiana are are under Ozone and Particulate Matter alerts. Our air is unsafe for sensitive populations including children, senior citizens, those with asthma, and other health conditions.
I just finished responding to an article in today's Courier & Press Newspaper, regarding the surplus in Indiana's budget as a result of Governor Mitch Daniel's fiscal policies. http://tinyurl.com/5l6r4j
Another article in today's paper indicates that Governor Daniels has slated that a considerable amount of money from the surplus will be available to the educational system for their "rainy day fund." http://tinyurl.com/5swvwz
As far as autism is concerned, it's raining.
Governor Daniels, in his push to move Indiana's bank account to the black, has accomplished many things, including pushing for the establishment of more coal-burning power plants and more industry to exploit our natural coal reserves, comparing Indiana to the Middle East and its oil fields.
Unfortunately, the increase in pollution resulting from these actions is likely to not only negate any positive financial gains, but has to potential to impact the entire United States (and beyond) as Indiana's crops (wheat, corn, soy, milk, and eggs) are polluted with environmental toxins as a result of increased mercury, lead, antimony, cadmium, and bismuth from the power-plants.
This is nothing new. What follows is the text of a post from last year, on this same blog:
To Whom it may concern:
I moved to Indiana four years ago from Washington D.C. I have worked for ten years as an educational consultant and advocate and conduct neuropsychological evaluations of adults and children - something I did in D.C. for three years prior to moving here. The children in Indiana are different from the children in D.C. or those I evaluated in Mississippi and Alabama years ago. When there are differences among peer-groups from one geographic location to another, we need to look at environmental influences as a contributing factor.
I was born in California. I have lived in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Washington D.C. I looked forward to moving to Indiana, especially after living through 9/11 and the Sniper incidents. I expected the midwest to be clean and quiet. It is quiet, but it is not clean. The air here is the worst I have ever seen at the surface level (the air be breathe). The incidence of asthma, emphysema, allergies, and cancer is staggering. During the first several months following my relocation, I worked as a school psychologist for the EVSC - Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation - doing evaluations of children with developmental disabilities. I was heart-sick at the number and severity of problems in the children here. These are the sickest children I have ever seen.
With the recent increase in suicides, everyone is scratching their heads and asking themselves, "How can this be happening?" "What's going on in the mental and emotional lives of these people?"This is not a "mental health" problem, it is a HEALTH problem! What is the common factor? We all breathe the same poisoned air.
Indiana's state government entices big business to locate here so the economy can "boom" and people will have more money in their pockets when they die. The counties of southwestern Indiana (Vanderburgh, Warrick, Spencer, Pike, and Posey) are targets for big business and big polluters. In 2004, Alcoa and Sigeco (both in counties neighboring Vanderburgh) were listed in the top five nation-wide for the amount of toxins (sulfur-dioxide, nitrogen-dioxide, lead, mercury, tin, aluminum, cadmium, and arsenic, etc.) spewed into the air. Things have not changed for the better since 2004.
I recently spent the day visiting the EPA website and looking at the data from the latest Toxic Release Information (TRI, 2005). Looking at the information for Warrick County (Alcoa, Sigeco, and VIGO Coal), one can see that the amount of toxins going into our air is rising, not declining. Of particular concern are levels of barium, lead, manganese, mercury, and vanadium.
The following information is from: EPA TRI Explorer Report (COFA)
Releases: Facility Report
ALCOA INC WARRICK OPERATIONS, NEWBURGH
BARIUM COMPOUNDS 374,487 (pounds)
LEAD COMPOUNDS 84,770
MANGANESE COMPOUNDS 137,868
MERCURY COMPOUNDS 438
VANADIUM COMPOUNDS 242,754
SIGECO GENERATING STATION, NEWBURGH
BARIUM COMPOUNDS 241,245 (pounds)
LEAD COMPOUNDS 52,708
MANGANESE COMPOUNDS 172,820
MERCURY COMPOUNDS 205
VANADIUM COMPOUNDS 331,500
VIGO COAL OPERATING CO, BOONVILLE
BARIUM COMPOUNDS 329,005 (pounds)
LEAD COMPOUNDS 58,187
MANGANESE COMPOUNDS 274,255
MERCURY COMPOUNDS 429
VANADIUM COMPOUNDS 493,005
There are many other toxins of concern, including high levels of copper, nickel, bismuth, and cadmium. However, for the question regarding the increase in suicides, I believe these are especially relevant. I have provided information regarding the physiological effects of these compounds, as well as symptoms of toxicity.
The following information is taken from the Toxic and Nutrient Elements Chart (Genova Diagnostics):
Barium 944,737 pounds released into air, water, soil, by Alcoa, Sigeco, & Vigo Coal in 2005: Displaces potassium and increases stress hormone (catecholamines). High levels may trigger ventricular fibrillation, broncho-constriction, and brain swelling.
Symptoms of toxicity: Difficulties in breathing, increased blood pressure, changes in heart rhythm, stomach irritation, brain swelling, muscle tingling/weakness. May damage heart, liver, kidneys and spleen.
Lead 195,665 pounds released into air, water, ground by Alcoa, Sigeco, & Vigo in 2005: Lead binds to hemoglobin, deposits in bone, aorta, kidney tubules, brain, adrenal, thyroid, liver. Inhibits heme synthesis, may depress mitochondrial respiratory chain. ATP-ases also affected.
Symptoms of toxicity: Microcytic anemia, glycosuria, cognitive dysfunction, anorexia, metallic taste, insomnia, reticulocytosis. Target organs include the brain, bone, blood, kidneys, and thyroid gland.
Mercury 1072 pounds released into air, water, soil by Alcoa, Sigeco, & Vigo in 2005: The organic form is readily absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract (90-100%); lesser but still significant amounts of inorganic mercury are absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract (7-15%). Organic mercury has a half-life of 2 months & binds to enzymes, proteins, and glutathione. MAO, catalase, P-450, and mitochondrial functions are affected. Accumulates also in the liver and kidneys.
Symptoms of toxicity: Headache, fine tremor, increased salivation, excitability, hypertension, skin rash, poor mental concentration, metallic taste. Target organs are the brain and kidneys.
Manganese 484,943 pounds released into air, water, soil by Alcoa, Sigeco, & Vigo Coal in 2005: Key in mitochondrial superoxide dismutase. cAMP and intracellular calcium levels are modified with manganese. Deficiency results in abnormal arginase and Krebs cycle conversion of pyruvate to oxaloacetate. Also crucial for bone and connective tissue.
Symptoms of toxicity: (Rare), by inhalation or mining activities. Poor bone/connective tissue growth. Impaired glucose tolerance and lipid metabolism, skin dryness, hair changes, allergies, behavioral problems.
Vanadium 1,067,259 pounds released into air, water, & soil by Alcoa, Sigeco, & Vigo Coal in 2005: Quite active in physiologic systems, with three main types of actions. Competes with phosphate and other metals for binding sites on proteins. Shows insulin-like effects and increases cAMP formation thus accounting for its enhancement of cellular phosphorylation. Studies show high levels associated with bipolar disorder in some cases.
Symptoms of toxicity: Toxicity at high levels is reported and can occur via inhaled vapors as products of combustion. Symptoms can include; arthritis, aching bones, jaw, teeth, tonsils, ears, weakened immune system, chronic colds, gastrointestinal problems, trabecular bone loss, green tongue coloration.
Obviously there are multiple factors involved in the breakdown of our health system (mental and physical). The shortage of inpatient psychiatric beds has received a lot of press recently. I agree, there is a pressing need for more psychiatrists and more facilities, both inpatient and outpatient. However, unless we start looking at the causes of the increase in mental and physical illness, we are likely to find ourselves in an endless cycle of adding more facilities and more beds with the outcome being the same: It will never be enough.
Marci
I just finished responding to an article in today's Courier & Press Newspaper, regarding the surplus in Indiana's budget as a result of Governor Mitch Daniel's fiscal policies. http://tinyurl.com/5l6r4j
Another article in today's paper indicates that Governor Daniels has slated that a considerable amount of money from the surplus will be available to the educational system for their "rainy day fund." http://tinyurl.com/5swvwz
As far as autism is concerned, it's raining.
Governor Daniels, in his push to move Indiana's bank account to the black, has accomplished many things, including pushing for the establishment of more coal-burning power plants and more industry to exploit our natural coal reserves, comparing Indiana to the Middle East and its oil fields.
Unfortunately, the increase in pollution resulting from these actions is likely to not only negate any positive financial gains, but has to potential to impact the entire United States (and beyond) as Indiana's crops (wheat, corn, soy, milk, and eggs) are polluted with environmental toxins as a result of increased mercury, lead, antimony, cadmium, and bismuth from the power-plants.
This is nothing new. What follows is the text of a post from last year, on this same blog:
To Whom it may concern:
I moved to Indiana four years ago from Washington D.C. I have worked for ten years as an educational consultant and advocate and conduct neuropsychological evaluations of adults and children - something I did in D.C. for three years prior to moving here. The children in Indiana are different from the children in D.C. or those I evaluated in Mississippi and Alabama years ago. When there are differences among peer-groups from one geographic location to another, we need to look at environmental influences as a contributing factor.
I was born in California. I have lived in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Washington D.C. I looked forward to moving to Indiana, especially after living through 9/11 and the Sniper incidents. I expected the midwest to be clean and quiet. It is quiet, but it is not clean. The air here is the worst I have ever seen at the surface level (the air be breathe). The incidence of asthma, emphysema, allergies, and cancer is staggering. During the first several months following my relocation, I worked as a school psychologist for the EVSC - Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation - doing evaluations of children with developmental disabilities. I was heart-sick at the number and severity of problems in the children here. These are the sickest children I have ever seen.
With the recent increase in suicides, everyone is scratching their heads and asking themselves, "How can this be happening?" "What's going on in the mental and emotional lives of these people?"This is not a "mental health" problem, it is a HEALTH problem! What is the common factor? We all breathe the same poisoned air.
Indiana's state government entices big business to locate here so the economy can "boom" and people will have more money in their pockets when they die. The counties of southwestern Indiana (Vanderburgh, Warrick, Spencer, Pike, and Posey) are targets for big business and big polluters. In 2004, Alcoa and Sigeco (both in counties neighboring Vanderburgh) were listed in the top five nation-wide for the amount of toxins (sulfur-dioxide, nitrogen-dioxide, lead, mercury, tin, aluminum, cadmium, and arsenic, etc.) spewed into the air. Things have not changed for the better since 2004.
I recently spent the day visiting the EPA website and looking at the data from the latest Toxic Release Information (TRI, 2005). Looking at the information for Warrick County (Alcoa, Sigeco, and VIGO Coal), one can see that the amount of toxins going into our air is rising, not declining. Of particular concern are levels of barium, lead, manganese, mercury, and vanadium.
The following information is from: EPA TRI Explorer Report (COFA)
Releases: Facility Report
ALCOA INC WARRICK OPERATIONS, NEWBURGH
BARIUM COMPOUNDS 374,487 (pounds)
LEAD COMPOUNDS 84,770
MANGANESE COMPOUNDS 137,868
MERCURY COMPOUNDS 438
VANADIUM COMPOUNDS 242,754
SIGECO GENERATING STATION, NEWBURGH
BARIUM COMPOUNDS 241,245 (pounds)
LEAD COMPOUNDS 52,708
MANGANESE COMPOUNDS 172,820
MERCURY COMPOUNDS 205
VANADIUM COMPOUNDS 331,500
VIGO COAL OPERATING CO, BOONVILLE
BARIUM COMPOUNDS 329,005 (pounds)
LEAD COMPOUNDS 58,187
MANGANESE COMPOUNDS 274,255
MERCURY COMPOUNDS 429
VANADIUM COMPOUNDS 493,005
There are many other toxins of concern, including high levels of copper, nickel, bismuth, and cadmium. However, for the question regarding the increase in suicides, I believe these are especially relevant. I have provided information regarding the physiological effects of these compounds, as well as symptoms of toxicity.
The following information is taken from the Toxic and Nutrient Elements Chart (Genova Diagnostics):
Barium 944,737 pounds released into air, water, soil, by Alcoa, Sigeco, & Vigo Coal in 2005: Displaces potassium and increases stress hormone (catecholamines). High levels may trigger ventricular fibrillation, broncho-constriction, and brain swelling.
Symptoms of toxicity: Difficulties in breathing, increased blood pressure, changes in heart rhythm, stomach irritation, brain swelling, muscle tingling/weakness. May damage heart, liver, kidneys and spleen.
Lead 195,665 pounds released into air, water, ground by Alcoa, Sigeco, & Vigo in 2005: Lead binds to hemoglobin, deposits in bone, aorta, kidney tubules, brain, adrenal, thyroid, liver. Inhibits heme synthesis, may depress mitochondrial respiratory chain. ATP-ases also affected.
Symptoms of toxicity: Microcytic anemia, glycosuria, cognitive dysfunction, anorexia, metallic taste, insomnia, reticulocytosis. Target organs include the brain, bone, blood, kidneys, and thyroid gland.
Mercury 1072 pounds released into air, water, soil by Alcoa, Sigeco, & Vigo in 2005: The organic form is readily absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract (90-100%); lesser but still significant amounts of inorganic mercury are absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract (7-15%). Organic mercury has a half-life of 2 months & binds to enzymes, proteins, and glutathione. MAO, catalase, P-450, and mitochondrial functions are affected. Accumulates also in the liver and kidneys.
Symptoms of toxicity: Headache, fine tremor, increased salivation, excitability, hypertension, skin rash, poor mental concentration, metallic taste. Target organs are the brain and kidneys.
Manganese 484,943 pounds released into air, water, soil by Alcoa, Sigeco, & Vigo Coal in 2005: Key in mitochondrial superoxide dismutase. cAMP and intracellular calcium levels are modified with manganese. Deficiency results in abnormal arginase and Krebs cycle conversion of pyruvate to oxaloacetate. Also crucial for bone and connective tissue.
Symptoms of toxicity: (Rare), by inhalation or mining activities. Poor bone/connective tissue growth. Impaired glucose tolerance and lipid metabolism, skin dryness, hair changes, allergies, behavioral problems.
Vanadium 1,067,259 pounds released into air, water, & soil by Alcoa, Sigeco, & Vigo Coal in 2005: Quite active in physiologic systems, with three main types of actions. Competes with phosphate and other metals for binding sites on proteins. Shows insulin-like effects and increases cAMP formation thus accounting for its enhancement of cellular phosphorylation. Studies show high levels associated with bipolar disorder in some cases.
Symptoms of toxicity: Toxicity at high levels is reported and can occur via inhaled vapors as products of combustion. Symptoms can include; arthritis, aching bones, jaw, teeth, tonsils, ears, weakened immune system, chronic colds, gastrointestinal problems, trabecular bone loss, green tongue coloration.
Obviously there are multiple factors involved in the breakdown of our health system (mental and physical). The shortage of inpatient psychiatric beds has received a lot of press recently. I agree, there is a pressing need for more psychiatrists and more facilities, both inpatient and outpatient. However, unless we start looking at the causes of the increase in mental and physical illness, we are likely to find ourselves in an endless cycle of adding more facilities and more beds with the outcome being the same: It will never be enough.
Marci
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