Arsenic & ADHD

Has your child been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)? If so, you have probably received a prescription for a mood altering drug such as Ritalin which is, at present, the standard treatment given once a doctor has confirmed this diagnosis. Newer research into the causes of ADHD, however, now points to treatments as simple as removing pollutants associated with ADHD from your child's environment. One category of environmental pollutants closely associated with ADHD is heavy metals. One of the more toxic of these is the compound known as arsenic.

Heavy Metals

• Heavy metals can be anywhere.

  Chemists define heavy metals as metals usually connected with contamination and the ability to poison. Highly toxic metals include lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium and manganese. Although the exact cause of ADHD is still not understood, current research points to a connection between all the heavy metals and ADHD, but what exactly is the role of arsenic?

Arsenic and Brain Development

• Exposure can begin early.

  Professionals define ADHD as "a chronic neurological mental health disorder with functional impairments as a result of concentration/attention or impulsivity/hyperactivity." Therefore, toxins that interfere with brain development have been studied in connection with ADHD. According to Rob Santich, recent studies show a link between fetal exposures to arsenic and subsequent brain development after birth. In addition, an intellectual function study of 201 children under the age of ten also revealed a connection between arsenic and brain function. Children receiving .0017 mg of arsenic per day had trouble switching their attention from one task to another. When receiving .0034 mg per day, the children's performance in task switching not only declined but they also performed poorly on tests measuring memory.

Arsenic in Comination with Other Heavy Metals

• Harmful to your health?

  In addition to the singular effect of arsenic on brain development, there is also evidence that arsenic in combination with other heavy metals may increase the level of toxic potency. In studies of subjects with high levels of one toxic metal, researchers discovered that the metals seemed to be acting together to actually increase the level of the toxic effect. Therefore, they concluded that "combinations of lead with aluminum, arsenic, cadmium and aluminum with arsenic, all have the potential for synergistic toxicity."

Heavy Metal Screening

• The scientific community, becoming more aware of the connection between environmental pollutants and ADHD, now recommends screening children diagnosed with ADHD for heavy metals. In fact, some schools now ask teachers and parents of students diagnosed with ADHD to fill out a Metal Exposure Questionnaire. If the results show high concentrations of heavy metals, especially lead, detoxifying through a process known as lead chelating therapy is recommended. Studies show that this therapy significantly improved hyperactivity behavior. Always check with your physician, however, before embarking on this course. This therapy may not be appropriate for children whose internal organs are still developing.

Preventing Exposure

• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are two government watchdog agencies that continually monitor the amounts of arsenic used in products that we eat or come into contact with on a daily basis. The list is almost endless, but here are just a few sources. Synthetic dyes are used in : Gatorade Fruit Punch, Plain M&Ms, Kraft Macaroni and cheese, Fruit Loops and Dannon Sprinkl'ins Yogurt 15. Prescription medications such as Ritalin use synthetic dyes also. In addition, your Thanksgiving turkey may contain roxarsone, a derivative of arsenic. This is a growth hormone given to young chicks to make their breasts nice and plump. Be sure to check the product labels for the amount of roxarsone. The FDA sets 0.5 parts per million as a safe level allowed in the poultry muscle. Any products used in construction prior to 2003 may contain unsafe levels of arsenic. Your children may be playing on wooden structures manufactured with wood treated with preservative containing arsenic. The EPA banned this use in 2003, but current research indicates the soil in playgrounds containing play structures built before 2003 to be contaminated with dangerously high levels of arsenic. Considering all this, the best way to prevent exposure is to consider natural, alternative sources for dyes or pest control.