Scientists baffled as autism cases soar in state, with no relief in sight

[Kadie]

Scientists baffled as autism cases soar in state, with no relief in sight
Treatment centers, schools inundated by kids needing help

Katherine Seligman, Chronicle Staff Writer

Friday, February 4, 2005

California's mysterious explosion of autism cases worsened in 2004, disappointing researchers who had hoped the number of new diagnoses would level off as they searched for an explanation for the neurological disorder.

The number of people treated for autism at regional centers operated by the state Department of Developmental Services increased 13 percent last year from 2003, according to agency figures.

Autism now accounts for a little more than half of the new cases handled at the centers, which treat a variety of developmental problems. An average of nine new autism cases a day come to the state's attention, the vast majority in children 13 and younger.

Scientists have various theories, but there is little agreement about what is driving the growth of autism cases in California. The number of autistic people getting services at the centers has increased from 5,000 in 1993 to more than 26,000 now.

more...
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/02/04/MNGH2B60I41.DTL

[rqstnnlitnmnt]

1. devastating...

we have so much toxicity in our environment, we'll never be able to pin down these kinds of increases...

what a horrible and sad article

[Liberal Veteran]

2. Taking bets now until...

...the first post blaming chemtrails.

[EFerrari]

6. What is that, LV? Something to do with mercury in vaccinations? nt

[arcane1]

3. WTF is going on?????

:shrug:

[henslee]

5. I know of 2 diff. families in Oxnard, CA that have autistic children....

And we all seem to think its either from rocket fuel or pesticides.

[bluetrain]

4. How do our stats compare to worldwide? /nt

[Liberty Belle]

7. One possible explanation:

From Daily Kos:

Bush misleads on mercury dangers and why he is putting us at risk
by WolverineTom
Fri Feb 4th, 2005 at 20:02:58 PST

If someone walked up to you and asked you to drink a glass filled with mercury, would you do it? Probably not. Unfortunately, this situation is quickly becoming a reality with Bush's attitude toward mercury pollution. Another report just came out, citing his administration for hiding the truth about the dangers of mercury, putting humans at serious risk:


Diaries :: WolverineTom's diary ::

The Bush administration overlooked health effects and sided with the electric industry in developing rules for cutting toxic mercury pollution, the Environmental Protection Agency's inspector general said Thursday.
The agency fell short of its own requirements and presidential orders by "not fully analyzing the cost-benefit of regulatory alternatives and not fully assessing the rule's impact on children's health," the agency's internal watchdog said in a 54-page report.

---

The Clean Air Act requires the EPA to set the limits based on the most advanced pollution controls used by industry. Tinsley said agency workers were instructed by "EPA senior management" to develop a standard compared with other regulations and a White House legislative plan, "instead of basing the standard on an unbiased determination" of the limits.

Mercury is one of the most dangerous pollutants known today. It is especially dangerous to pregnant women as the fetus is highly vulnerable during development, particularily its nervous system. Prolonged exposure to mercury can also cause brain damage and damage the lungs, kidneys, and heart...

[Xithras]

8. Groundwater pollution in CA is a huge, often ignored issue

Mostly because there isn't a heck of a lot we can do about it. Most of the 1850's gold mines left huge amounts of mercury in their tailings that has been slowly leaching into the groundwater and rivers for a century and a half. This traditionally hasn't been a problem, but several changes over the last few decades are modifying the equation.

1) Mercury migrates slowly, and much of the mercury and other poisons deposited 100+ years ago are just now entering populated areas of the ecosystem in a big way.

2) There is a huge building boom in the gold country foothills, right in the middle of the most mercury polluted land in the state. Many tailing piles, undisturbed for more than a century, are being flattened out to make way for development. This newly freed mercury runs into the streams and rivers when it starts raining and affects everyone living downstream.

3) Mercury in the water table sinks to the bottom. Up until recently, most cities relying on groundwater drew it from near the top of the aquifer, avoiding the pollution below. Increased demand means that aquifer levels have dropped, requiring deeper wells and resulting in more polluted water.

4) Up until recently, most of the state didn't rely all that heavily on surface water, which is polluted enough to prompt the state to issue recommendations that fishermen avoid eating more than 1 or 2 fish a month from our rivers. Increased population pressures are causing more water to be drawn from those rivers to our taps. Major sections of the northern state, not to mention much of the LA basin, gets its drinking water from the northern Delta, which is a cesspool of settled mercury and accumulated pesticide runoff built up over a half century of modern farming along its edges. Heck, even ignoring that, many Central Valley cities, including my own, dump their treated sewage wastewater directly into the rivers that feed the Delta...my own city dumps its sewage into the river less than 15 miles upstream of the California Aqueduct intakes that supply so much of Southern California with its drinking water.

And you're SURPRISED that we're seeing increased birth defects in this state?