Topic - ADHD and Air Pollution. More and more, research has connected the rise in autism and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity to air pollution.
Research conducted in New York City found that women exposed to high levels of a certain hydrocarbon during their pregnancies had five times the chance that their children, at age 9, would have symptoms of the inattentive type of ADHD.
Car exhaust and power plants produce hydrocarbons. The study didn’t prove that the hydrocarbons cause ADHD, only that there is a link.
Exposure to hydrocarbons during pregnancy is also related to developmental delays at age 3, reduced IQs at age 5 and signs of depression and anxiety by age 6 and 7 years.
In adults, hydrocarbons are associated with heart disease, lung disease and cancer.
Considering the powerful impact on both developing children and adults, it’s important to understand the risks of where you live and the ways to protect your health.
