Study Finds Links Between Two Chemicals and Development of Autism

74/365 – autism awareness.” by Becky Wetherington licensed under CC BY 2.0

Source: WebMD

A new study found a link between two chemicals found in soil, water and food, and the increased risk of autism in children.

The study examined the chemicals DDT and PCB which although are banned in the U.S. and various other countries, can still be found in the environment. Exposure to these chemicals was found to increase the risk of autism in children if their mothers were exposed to it.

“They break down slowly over time. Even though they’re not produced any more in the Western world, almost everyone is exposed to some of them,” said author of the study, Dr. Alan Brown.

More than 800 cases of children with autism were traced to mothers who had been exposed to the chemical DDE, which is formed as DDT breaks down in the environment.

Read Full Story: WebMD

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