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BPA and Autism Spectrum Disorder


Officescope.com
Autism Spectrum Disorder is simply defined as a communicative and social disorder. However, there is no simple answer to how one should educate a student with ASD. The symbol for autism is a puzzle piece: this symbol is a perfect metaphor, because the method of educating someone with ASD is a puzzle, but so the cause.
I believe environmental factors from our modern era of chemicals and artificial foods and products can have a huge impact on neurodevelopment. In addition to this, modern humankind has a diet eccentric to biological tradition, which may play a roll in how the human body (and mind) develops. And, this diet is buttressed through technology that is dependent and integrated with chemicals that are unique to our era.
A few years ago, the Huffington Post published this article that references a study, which links BPA to ASD. Last year CNN:Health linked similar findings. The University of Virginia found BPA had an immediate effect on the social life of the offspring of mice exposed to BPA, with persisting effects in the following generations of offspring. Even the National Institute of Health has found BPA to be an extremely suspect player in this puzzle: “After examining the current science on BPA in 2007, the National Toxicology Program concluded that the chemical is of some concern for its potential effects on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and children. BPA is also being investigated for its potential role in obesity, diabetes, reproductive disorders, cancers, and other health problems.”
www.thesleuthjournal.com

If that is the case, then we must conclude that we have seriously compromised the future of the environment as well as our species because BPA is found in everything, from water bottles to tempered glass, paint and Pepsi; it is especially prevalent in baby toys and feeding tools. Bisphenol A has been banned or restricted in many countries including Germany, the UK, China, Canada, and in baby products in many US states including Minnesota, Conecticuit, and California. The silver lining: we may have found a cause of ASD. Or, we just have another piece to a convoluted and emotionally charged enigma.

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