The Hefty Cost of Caring for Children and Adults with Autism
According to the 2014 Health National Survey, 1 in 45 American children between the ages of 3 and 17 years old have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is one of the fastest growing developmental disorders in the U.S. This figure is concerning for several reasons, one of which is the financial cost to parents for caring for their child. In the U.S., poverty among families with…
Health Lessons from the Amish, Mennonites and Other Plain People
Since a scientific study comparing the long-term health outcomes of vaccinated versus unvaccinated children is considered “unethical” by traditional medical standards, it is unlikely to be initiated any time soon. Of course, there is a population of children whose parents choose not to vaccinate and would likely be more than willing to allow the health and well-being…
The Blood-Brain Barrier: Nature’s Security System
It would appear to be a most challenging problem: How can we allow in the essential molecules needed to nourish and support the brain while keeping out potentially harmful bacteria and chemicals? The Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB) is one of nature’s many amazing and elegant solutions that allows human and animal life to exist as we know it. It would appear to be a most…
CDC: 1 in 45 Children Diagnosed With Autism
A total of 2.24% of U.S. children (1 in 45 children) aged 3 to 17 years have autism spectrum disorder (ASD), according to new statistics released by the 2014 National Health Interview Survey. The new figure is up from 1.25% reported from 2011 to 2013. The prevalence of developmental delay fell to 3.57% from 4.84%, while the rate of intellectual disability remained virtually…
Toxic Exposure and Its Impact on American Students’ Cognitive Abilities
Over the last few years, there have been several news stories reporting that American students rank in the middle of the pack on cross-national tests, particularly in mathematics and science. The largest cross-national test, the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), is a triennial survey evaluating education systems on a global level through…
Study Concludes Rise in Autism Not Due to Better Diagnosis
A new study recently published in Frontiers in Pediatrics provides evidence challenging one of the biggest myths about the autism epidemic among children, which is that “better diagnosis” is entirely responsible for the substantial increase in the diagnosis of cases of autism and pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) over the past three decades. The study, “A prospective…