Rainy Climate Linked to Autism 11-5-08

According to a recent study funded by Cornell University, the number of kids in a given area developing autism goes up when the climate is rainier. The study’s findings leave its researchers wondering if precipitation itself may trigger the disorder when children are genetically vulnerable to it.

Cornell’s Michael Waldman, PhD, led the research team to Washington, Oregon, and California, where the team compared autism rates on a county-by-county basis with county-based daily precipitation reports issued by the National Climate Data Center. The study spanned the years 1987 through 2001, the same years the children in the study were in school.

Waldman states he found a positive link between the prevalence of autism in all three states and the amount of rainfall normally occurring in the individual counties. Furthermore, in California and Oregon, the autism prevalence was highest when a child was exposed to a wet climate before the age of 3, the age symptoms often begin to appear and a long enough period of time for any environmental influences to become evident.

Although the link has been established, the reason behind the link is still unknown. Children spend more time indoors when it’s raining outside and they often spend indoor time watching television or playing video games, two activities known to affect a child’s cognitive and behavioral development. While indoors on rainy days, children may be exposed longer to toxic chemicals in household cleaning supplies or the indoor activities, away from the sunshine, may hinder vitamin D production in a way that triggers autism in vulnerable children. Or perhaps the precipitation itself is the culprit, possibly raining down chemicals from the upper atmosphere on children at risk of autism.

The study’s authors note that their research should be considered preliminary at this time and that further research is needed to determine if rain is an environmental trigger for autism and, if so, how exactly does it influence development of the disorder.

Comment:

This is one of those "Duh" moments: It's the mold! Mold in the home causes all sorts of symptoms:

Fibromyalgia/mps (and several correlated symptoms)
Respiratory distress, coughing, sneezing, sinusitis
Difficulty swallowing, choking, spitting up (vomiting) mucous
Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis, COPD, Chronic Bronchitis or Pneumonia
Bladder, liver, spleen, or kidney pain Dark or painful urine
Dirt-like taste in mouth, coated tongue
Food allergies/leaky gut syndrome/altered immunity
Memory loss; brain fog, slurred speech, occasionally leading to dementia
Vision problems
Swollen lymph nodes
Large boils (cysts) on neck or other area on or near the spine (often a sign of anaphylaxis)
Yellowing of nails, ridges, or white marks under nail
Thyroid irregularities, sometimes leading to complete dysfunction; adrenal problems
Headaches
Anxiety/depression, heart palpitations - confusion,
PTSD Extreme blood pressure, cholesterol, or triglycerides irregularities
Ringing in ears, balance problems (very common), dizziness, loss of hearing (aspergillus niger)
Chronic fatigue (also included under this classification directional confusion)
Intermittent face flushing; almost always systemic, Called the Mylar Flush (neurological)
Multiple chemical sensitivity; only upon exposure to Stachybotrys and Chaetomium
Nose bleeds (stachybotrys)
Bruising/scarring easily; rash or hives, bloody lesions all over the skin
Reproductive system complications; infertility, changes in menstrual cycles, miscarriage
Sudden weight changes (Detoxifier genotypes tend to gain weight, non-detoxifier genotypes tend to lose weight)
Cancer
Hair loss, very brittle nails, temporary loss of fingerprints (in rare cases)
Joint/muscle stiffness and pain
Irregular heart beat/heart attack
Seizures, inadvertent body jerking, twitching, inadvertent facial movements or numbness in face
Hypersensitivity when re-exposed to molds, which can lead to anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis upon re-exposure to mycotoxin producing molds
Ulcers of the skin usually where repeated exposure is like feet if carpet has mold
Death, in extreme cases

If mold is or has been a issue ( like me) you need to go to my sister site: Mold Survivor for everything you need to know to get well.

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