Big Pharma’s War On Our Children: 1 Million Kids Under Age 6 On PSYCHIATRIC Drugs

In the United States, there are one million children under the age of six on psychiatric drugs. This number is particularly disturbing, considering the horrifying side effects and ineffectiveness of a good number of these types of harmful drugs.

One in six Americans overall regularly take some type of medication in this category. However, children are now being swept up in Big Pharma’s desire to make money, not improve health. Mental health watchdog group Citizens Commission on Human Rights is drawing attention to the concerning fact that more than a million kids younger than six in our nation are currently taking these psychiatric drugs.

According to Natural News, around half of these children are four to five years old and an incredible 274,804 of them are younger than a year old. That’s right: babies are being given psychiatric drugs. The number rises for toddlers aged two to three, with 370,778 kids in this category taking psychiatric drugs overall. If this isn’t horrifying to you, congratulations on your brainwashing.

Data from IMS Health shows that the drug situation only gets worse as kids get older, with 4,130,340 kids aged 6 to 12 taking some type of psychiatric drug.

You might be forgiven for assuming that most of these statistics are made up by kids taking ADHD drugs given how common that approach seems to be nowadays, but it really only accounts for a small portion of it, with 1,422 of those younger than a year old and just over 181,000 of those aged four to five taking ADHD drugs. –Natural News

The biggest category of psychotic drugs given to children appears to be anti-anxiety drugs. Just over 227,132 babies under one-year-old and nearly 248,000 of those aged four to five take these medications. Again, babies are being given mind-altering drugs before their first birthday. But the news just gets worse from there. Experts believe these estimates are far too low and the real numbers are actually much higher, due in part to the tendency for some doctors to hand out psychiatric medications for “off-label” uses. This risky practice entails giving out a drug to treat something that it is not indicated for, and the long-term effects of such an approach are completely unknown.

When adults choose to take psychiatric medication, it may be ill-advised in many cases, but it is still their choice to make. Children, on the other hand, lack the cognition to fully understand the lifelong impact of such a choice, and this essentially amounts to forced medication. We already know that many doctors have a financial incentive to get young people to start taking these drugs, but why are their parents so willing to get on board? Many of them are also taking psychiatric medications, of course. In fact, it has practically become a way of life in our nation and many people think of these meds as harmless.

The side effects of these drugs are nothing to scoff at, however, with antianxiety, antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs linked to heart attacks, psychosis, suicidal ideation, diabetes, stroke, mania and sudden death. As if that weren’t bad enough, there’s also the fact that many of the high-profile public shootings in recent years were perpetrated by young people on such drugs, so not only do kids have the risk of dying when they take these meds, but they could also take out a whole classroom or movie theater with them. –Natural News

Is this a war on our children perpetrated by Big Pharma and condoned by the government? Maybe. Nothing seems impossible anymore.

H/T [Natural News, Mike Adams The Health Ranger]

Broken Brain Epidemic and How to Fix it (VIDEO)

 

(The Real Agenda News) An unbalanced broken brain is responsible for many mental diseases.

The result of those diseases in children, teenagers, adults and the elderly are usually untreated or not even discovered by mainstream medicine.

Most doctors aren’t capable of diagnosing most brain-related diseases, much less treat them or cure them.

Perhaps the main reason why mental disease is wrongfully treated or not treated at all is that brain health does not necessarily start from the brain itself, but from outside of it.

The lack of proper diagnosis and treatment causes the number of people with mental disabilities to rise out of control.

Broken brain count surpasses 1 billion

Today, that number stands at 1.1 billion patients. From those millions of people who are mentally ill, 1 in 6 are children who suffer from mental disorders.

Estimates show that 1 in 2 elderly are most likely suffering from mental disease and along with them, the global average is 1 in 4 people.

The current epidemic of brain disorders is what Dr. Mark Hyman calls the Epidemic of Broken Brains.

Hyman is a practicing physician with 10+ best selling books. His documentary shows how humanity, at least western populations arrived at the current state of mental imbalance.

During the documentary series, Hyman shows the assessment of several medical doctors who explain how normal-looking people are actually mentally ill and they got there.

More importantly, they explain how to attack and overcome the current epidemic of broken brains.

No, it is not through conventional medicine.

The documentary series promises to show how Alzheimer’s, Dementia, ADHD, Autism, Depression, Anxiety, and Brain Fog have common origins.

In its preview, Dr, Hyman also promises to show people steps to “optimize” their brain function and “reclaim” their mental health, energy and mental clarity.

If you are interested in learning more about brain function and how to keep it sharp, make sure to watch the preview below and then subscribe to watch the complete documentary series.

Fill out the form and subscribe to watch the documentary series here.

The connection between the brain and the immune system

In a stunning discovery that overturns decades of textbook teaching, researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine have determined that the brain is directly connected to the immune system by vessels previously thought not to exist.

The fact that such vessels could have escaped detection when the lymphatic system has been so thoroughly mapped throughout the body is surprising on its own, but the true significance of the discovery lies in the effects it could have on the study and treatment of neurological diseases ranging from autism to Alzheimer’s disease to multiple sclerosis.

“Instead of asking, ‘How do we study the immune response of the brain?’ ‘Why do multiple sclerosis patients have the immune attacks?’ now we can approach this mechanistically.

Because the brain is like every other tissue connected to the peripheral immune system through meningeal lymphatic vessels,” said Jonathan Kipnis, PhD, professor in the UVA Department of Neuroscience and director of UVA’s Center for Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG).

“It changes entirely the way we perceive the neuro-immune interaction. We always perceived it before as something esoteric that can’t be studied. But now we can ask mechanistic questions.”

“We believe that for every neurological disease that has an immune component to it, these vessels may play a major role,” Kipnis said.

“Hard to imagine that these vessels would not be involved in a [neurological] disease with an immune component.”

The unexpected presence of the lymphatic vessels raises a tremendous number of questions that now need answers, both about the workings of the brain and the diseases that plague it. For example, take Alzheimer’s disease.

“In Alzheimer’s, there are accumulations of big protein chunks in the brain,” Kipnis said. “We think they may be accumulating in the brain because they’re not being efficiently removed by these vessels.”

He noted that the vessels look different with age, so the role they play in aging is another avenue to explore. And there’s an enormous array of other neurological diseases, from autism to multiple sclerosis, that must be reconsidered in light of the presence of something science insisted did not exist.

The post Broken Brain Epidemic and How to Fix it (VIDEO) appeared first on The Sleuth Journal.

Prenatal Exposure to Flame Retardants Linked With Lower IQ in Children

A report in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives reveals that prenatal exposure to flame retardants may lead to lower IQ test scores in children. Further, the more of the chemicals a pregnant woman is exposed to, the more likely she is to give birth to a child with lower intelligence. [1]

In the meta-analysis, researchers calculated that every tenfold increase in exposure to flame retardants called polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) was associated with a 3.7 point decline in kids’ IQ test scores.

Based on that calculation, PBDEs are even more detrimental to fetuses than lead – every tenfold increase in the neurotoxin is associated with “just” a 7-point decline in IQ scores, by comparison.

Study co-author Tracey Woodruff said:

“Even the loss of a few IQ points on a population-wide level means more children who need early interventions, and families who may face personal and economic burdens for the rest of their lives.” [2]

The meta-analysis summarizes and evaluates the full collection of relevant research on the safety of PBDEs. Ten of the studies the researchers included show a link between flame retardants and intelligence.

The team analyzed an additional 9 studies that searched for an association between exposure to flame retardants and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Juleen Lam, an associate research scientist at the University of California San Francisco, said the 9 papers don’t provide enough evidence of a connection between the chemicals and ADHD. [1]

However, the link between flame retardants and intelligence is undeniable, according to Lam.

“The evidence strongly suggests that PBDEs are damaging kids’ intelligence.”

Knowing this, Lam said, children should be protected from these chemicals to “prevent intelligence loss.”

She added:

“We’re really seeing this as a wake-up call to policymakers.”

Researchers are trying to tease out how PBDEs lower intelligence. So far, the evidence suggests the chemicals impair the activity of the endocrine system, the body’s systems of hormone-producing glands which play a role in the body’s circadian rhythm, sexual development, metabolism, and other functions. When a woman is pregnant, her endocrine system heavily influences the development of her fetus’ brain.

Read: Common Flame Retardant Chemical Found to Cause Brain Damage

There are multitudinous types of PBDEs, and several of them have already been banned in the United States. Most new furniture doesn’t contain those chemicals, said Arlene Blum, a scientist with the Green Science Policy Institute, who wasn’t involved in the study.

Nevertheless, Woodruff, a professor at UCSF, said that “everyone is exposed to PBDEs, so this means that there are potentially millions of IQ points that are lost across the population.” Moreover, “children can be affected for generations to come.” [2]

Banned But Still Prevalent

Source: Environmental Working Group

Another study led by Hurley, published in March, 2017, showed a gradual plateau in bodily levels of flame retardants – even an increase in some people. Hurley believes that’s likely because as people have disposed of or incinerated their old furniture, PBDEs have made their way into the environment. [1]

Now, Hurley theorizes, the chemicals are getting into the food supply, as old furniture and foams containing PBDEs have been tossed into landfills or incinerated, causing the chemicals to leach into runoff and/or spewed into the air.

Whether or not flame retardants actually make fires less deadly is up for debate. Bryan Goodman, a spokesman for the industry group American Chemistry Council, said that flame retardants help save lives by providing individuals with a critical layer of fire protection. He added that “the major manufacturers of flame retardants have spent millions of dollars on research both before and after their products go on the market.”

Read: How To Avoid Toxins In Flame-Retardant Household Products

Source: Environmental Working Group

However, some past studies seemed to suggest that flame retardants actually give rise to toxic fumes. Ami Zota, an environmental health scientist at George Washington University who studies flame retardants but wasn’t involved in the paper, said their efficacy is “not really backed up by well-supported data.”

Sources:

[1] Newsweek

[2] U.S. News & World Report

Environmental Working Group

Environmental Working Group

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15 Million Americans may be Drinking Water Contaminated with PFCs

More than 15 million Americans across 27 states may have drinking water contaminated with perfluorochemicals (PFCs) that are used to make non-stick cookware and other products, according to a report published in June 2017. [1]

PFCs have been linked to cancer, thyroid disease, and weakened immune systems. What’s more, prenatal exposure to the chemicals has been linked to low birthweight and future obesity. Even small amounts in drinking water are considered a public health threat.

Research by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and Northeastern University in Boston reveals that drinking water has been polluted with perfluorochemicals from more than 4 dozen industrial and military sources from Maine to California. [2]

In a press release, managing editor of the EWG Bill Walker said:

“It’s remarkable that the richest country on earth can’t guarantee its citizens that their drinking water is completely safe and has no long-term health implications.” [1]

Although the CDC has found perfluorocarbons in the bodies of virtually all Americans and knows that mothers can pass the chemicals to their babies through the umbilical cord, there are currently no federal health regulations for the chemicals in drinking water. [2]

The last time a drinking water contaminant was added to the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Act was 25 years ago. [1]

Two types of PFCs, called PFOA and PFOS, have waterproof and non-stick properties, making them used in the production of cookware, outdoor clothing, food packaging, and firefighting foam. DuPont formerly used the chemicals to make its Teflon non-stick cookware, and PFCs were formerly an ingredient in 3M’s Scotchgard.

Perfluorochemicals were phased out in the U.S. after it was revealed that both companies spent decades covering up the health risks of the substances. [2]

U.S. chemical manufacturers replaced PFOA and PFOS with a different type of PFC that is molecularly different. However, it was not adequately tested for safety before going on the market. The few studies that do exist indicate they’re not much safer than older PFCs.

EWG and the Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute at Northeaster collaborated to create an interactive map that, EWG says, “combines federal drinking water data and information on all publicly documented cases of PFAS pollution from manufacturing plants, military air bases, civilian airports and fire training sites.”

Sources:

[1] Time

[2] Environmental Working Group

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About Julie Fidler:
	Julie Fidler is a freelance writer, legal blogger, and the author of Adventures in Holy Matrimony: For Better or the Absolute Worst. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and two ridiculously spoiled cats. She occasionally pontificates on her blog.

Do You Know These 6 Causes Of ADHD?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is on the rise, and the ‘disorder’ is now affecting many adults. ^[1] With such an influx of new diagnoses each day, many people might be wondering what is causing it. As with any disorder there is a likely contributor, or a multitude of contributors. While it could be any number of things, chemicals could be a very likely factor in ADHD diagnosis. Let me share these 6 toxic causes of ADHD with you, and you can decide for yourself.

6 Contributors to ADHD

Children and adults are being diagnosed with ADHD at a quickening rate. Know these 6 contributors and see if any of them ring true in your own diagnosis.

1. Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy

A recent study suggests pregnant women might want to avoid acetaminophen. Children born to mothers who take the over-the-counter medication could have an increased risk of ADHD. ^[2] While the increase in risk is small—less than ten percent—is taking acetaminophen really worth it? ^[3]

     2. BPA Exposure

Found in some plastic, BPA is a fairly well-known endocrine disruptor that so many manufacturers have turned to making BPA-free products. Studies suggest its substitute bisphenol-S, or BPS, could be just as bad for your health. One study looked at brain development after BPA/BPS exposure in zebrafish embryos and found a link to hyperactivity. ^[4][5] While still very new, the findings suggest these chemicals could cause similar symptoms in humans.

3. Lead Poisoning

Exposure to lead is bad news, as this toxic compound can cause poisoning. The highly toxic metal can affect anyone at any age, but young children are especially vulnerable: Lead has a devastating effect on the developing brain, sometimes causing long-term damage. ^[6] The developmental effects can be devastating, with low-level exposure linked to low IQs and ADHD in children. ^[7]

4. Mercury Exposure

Many pregnant women tend to cut fish out of their diet completely in order to avoid mercury exposure. Like lead, mercury is a neurotoxin that should be avoided, but don’t give fish the boot just yet. While mercury could be linked to a higher risk of ADHD symptoms in children, eating more fish could possibly lower that same risk. ^[8] It’s all about balance and finding fish that carry a low mercury burden.

5. Smog and Air Pollution

One study suggests prenatal exposure to air pollution can increase the risk for ADHD in kids. ^[9] Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are emitted by burning fossil fuels, so completely avoiding them can be quite difficult. But limiting your exposure could be the answer since “children born to mothers with higher levels of PAH during pregnancy had five-fold increased odds of showing symptoms of ADHD than those who were born to mothers with lower levels.”

6. Consuming Food Dyes

For some children with ADHD, switching to foods without artificial coloring has helped manage symptoms, leading some researchers to believe there could be a link. ^[10] Unfortunately, products in the U.S. are not required to have a disclaimer connecting attention problems in children and dye consumption; however, some companies are shaping up when it comes to dyes. Kraft has already moved forward to get rid of yellow dyes from some of its character-shaped macaroni-and-cheese products in Europe and the U.S. ^[11]

 What Other Factors Contribute to ADHD?

There are some that just think our kids are too restrained, that ADHD is just a by-product of our generation. That’s something I’ll address in another entry, so be on the lookout! Toxic foods and ingredients like fluoride have definitely been implicated in ADHD symptoms, so it is best to go all natural or organic when trying to manage hyperactivity and poor focus. Doing something active that is also enjoyable could also be a great way to manage overactive energy levels and support concentration.

As for toxic exposure and ADHD, what do you think? Do you think there’s a connection? Tell us about it in the comments.

References:

1. Getahun, D. et al. Recent Trends in Childhood Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. JAMA Pediatrics. 167 (3).


2. Cooper, M. et al. Antenatal Acetaminophen Use and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. JAMA Pediatrics. 168 (4).


3. Liew, Z. et al. Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy, Behavioral Problems, and Hyperkinetic Disorders. JAMA Pediatrics. 168 (4).


4. Bilbrey, J. BPA-Free Plastic Containers May Be Just as Hazardous. Bilbrey, J.


5. Kinch, C. D. et al. Low-dose exposure to bisphenol A and replacement bisphenol S induces precocious hypothalamic neurogenesis in embryonic zebrafish. PNAS.


6. Liu J. et al. Blood lead levels and children’s behavioral and emotional problems: a cohort study. JAMA Pediatrics. 168 (8).


7. Schwartz, J. Low-level lead exposure and children’s IQ: a meta-analysis and search for a threshold. Environmental Research. 65 (1).


8. Sagiv, S. et al. Prenatal Exposure to Mercury and Fish Consumption During Pregnancy and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder–Related Behavior in Children. JAMA Pediatrics. 168 (12).


9. Perera, F. et al. Early-Life Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and ADHD Behavior Problems. PLOS ONE.


10. Arnold, L. E. et al. Artificial Food Colors and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Symptoms: Conclusions to Dye for. Neurotherapeutics. 9 (3).


11. Center for Science in the Public Interest. Kraft Takes Food Dyes out of Some, But Not Most, Macaroni and Cheese. Center for Science in the Public Interest.

Does ADHD Exist?

Did you catch my entry about 6 toxic causes of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)? In it, I mentioned that I’d look at the other side of the argument. Is this a true neurological disorder that needs life-long medical treatment, or is the ADHD diagnosis simply an overgeneralization of a underlying condition? So, let’s get down to what those folks believe: does ADHD actually exist?

The Truth about ADHD

With a 53 percent increase in ADHD cases over the last 10 years, many think that there’s an extreme overdiagnosis out there—that many primary care physicians tend to diagnose without looking at other factors. ^[1] The CDC notes that poverty is actually the biggest factor in an ADHD diagnosis. These children are often victim to environmental factors, but, rather than getting the help they need to cope with these, are just given a diagnosis and a pill. So now we have an explanation for at least some of the influx. What else?

Other Factors that Influence an ADHD Diagnosis

According to Angela Hanscom, a pediatric occupational therapist, some of the diagnoses could have something to do with the amount of time our children have to sit still. ^[2] Take the case of a 6-year-old boy who was labeled as having ADHD simply because he couldn’t sit still for the entire day. Does anyone else see the lack of logic in this situation? I’m sure a lot of children (and some adults) have trouble keeping their seat for eight hours straight.

Still, others think the over diagnosis is also caused by simple misdiagnosis; “the symptoms of ADHD are also the symptoms of some learning disabilities, of depression, of having been mistreated, or of a chaotic classroom. ADHD too often can be a convenient label to describe problems that have other origins.” ^[3]

Going along with this idea is the theory that pharmaceutical companies are blowing the ADHD problem way out of proportion. Why? Money, of course. The sales of stimulants were up to $9 billion in 2012; that’s up from $1.7 billion a decade ago. ^[4] And marketing for these drugs is usually fairly extreme, with one ad even citing a stimulant as “safer than aspirin.” The FDA even had to get in on policing this issue, citing every major drug for ADHD as misleading consumers with false advertising multiple times since 2000.

What to Consider with ADHD

Nutritional factors for ADHD are very real, and you can’t expect one to be focused during the day on a junk-food diet. Lack of exercise and sunlight are also important factors, as physical exercise–particularly outside–can support mood and release excess energy. Certainly, these are things to think about, but then again, if you or your child have ADHD, you might have a decidedly different opinion.

So what do you think? Is ADHD a real condition, or is it something entirely different? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.

References:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Key Findings: Trends in the Parent-Report of Health Care Provider-Diagnosis and Medication Treatment for ADHD: United States, 2003—2011. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


2. Strauss, V. Why so many kids can’t sit still in school today. The Washington Post.


3. Healy, M. The ADHD explosion: A new book explores factors that have fueled it. The LA Times.


4. Schwarz, A. The Selling of Attention Deficit Disorder. The New York Times.

The 4 Most Disturbing Facts About ADHD

Kids (and adults) with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have difficulties staying on task or finishing things, and while there are other problems associated with it, these two symptoms alone can make life tough. There are facts you should know about ADHD and here are the four most disturbing.

1. ADHD Can Result from Trauma

People who have ADHD likely wonder, just what caused this? Well, a recent report suggested it could be environmental and that an ADHD diagnosis could be connected to childhood trauma. ^[1] For example, things like the death of a parent or domestic violence are termed ‘adverse childhood events (ACEs).’ The more ACEs in a child’s life, the more likely it is that child has (or will be diagnosed with) ADHD.

2. ADHD Can Cause Premature Death

Recent evidence suggests that the implications of an ADHD diagnosis can be far more serious than simply not completing tasks. In a multi-decade study following almost 2 million people, those with ADHD (about 32,000) were twice as likely to die earlier. ^[2] If that wasn’t bad enough, those deaths were often from unnatural causes—usually accidents. The risk of dying also went up based on a person’s age at diagnosis, and women and girls with ADHD were at a higher risk of early deaths than men and boys.

     3. ADHD Could Be Something We Give Ourselves

There’s a lot of evidence to suggest that a major factor for ADHD could be toxin exposure. Tobacco use, especially during pregnancy, or even being around cigarette smoke, can put your child at a greater risk for ADHD. ^[3]Fluoridated water could be tied to ADHD; in one study, scientists “found that states with a higher portion of artificially fluoridated water had a higher prevalence of ADHD.” ^[4] It’s even been found that pesticides have a huge impact on ADHD. ^[5]

4. ADHD is Being Treated with Dangerous Drugs and Little Else

This is probably the worst… only about a quarter of U.S. children with ADHD are treated with behavioral therapy. ^[6] The rest rely solely on dangerous stimulants. And some think that the over reliance on drugs has less to do with medicine and more to do with big business. ^[7] Pharmaceutical companies really push these medications–often with extreme marketing tactics. This leads many to believe that when it comes to ADHD, our society is over medicated. Take into account that safety testing is pretty spotty—and, well, they could be onto something. ^[8]

One Final Thought

But with all the disturbing facts out there surrounding ADHD, keep in mind that you might not even have it. There are a lot of conditions that can mimic ADHD—thyroid disorders or certain allergies, for example. But if you are completely certain it’s ADHD, there is research out there that suggests ADHD symptoms can be avoided through exercise. ^[9] Another report suggests living at higher altitudes leads to fewer ADHD cases. ^[10] Still, many children just “outgrow” ADHD symptoms, but there are many adults that still experience difficulties. ^[11]

What do you think about ADHD? Tell us about it in the comments.

References:

1. American Academy of Pediatrics. Study finds ADHD and trauma often go hand in hand. ScienceDaily.


2. Dalsgaard, S. et al. Mortality in children, adolescents, and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a nationwide cohort study. The Lancet.


3. Holz, N. E. et al. Effect of Prenatal Exposure to Tobacco Smoke on Inhibitory Control. JAMA Psychiatry.


4. Malin, A. J. & Till, C. Exposure to fluoridated water and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder prevalence among children and adolescents in the United States: an ecological association. Environmental Health. 14 (7).


5. Richardson, J. R. et al. Developmental pesticide exposure reproduces features of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The FASEB Journal.


6. Gellad, E. F. et al. Geographic Variation in Receipt of Psychotherapy in Children Receiving Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medications. JAMA Pediatrics..


7. Conrad, P. & Bergey, M. R. The impending globalization of ADHD: Notes on the expansion and growth of a medicalized disorder. Social Science & Medicine.


8. Bourgeois, F. T. et al. Premarket Safety and Efficacy Studies for ADHD Medications in Children. PLoS ONE. 9 (7).


9. Hoza, B. et al. A Randomized Trial Examining the Effects of Aerobic Physical Activity on Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms in Young Children. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. 43 (4).


10. Huber, R. S. et al. Association Between Altitude and Regional Variation of ADHD in Youth. Journal of Attention Disorders.


11. Mattfeld, A. T. et al. Brain differences between persistent and remitted attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Brain. 137.

Study Reveals Link Between Fluoride And ADHD

Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, has risen in dramatic proportions these last few years, leading many to speculate one or more environmental triggers are tied to the issue. Fluoride, a common chemical additive discussed frequently on this blog, has been implicated more than once in the shocking increase of ADHD cases. A new study reveals a very strong correlation between water fluoridation and ADHD; however, a correlation doesn’t always equal a causation. Still, it’s just one study out of a long line of many that have been contributing to the question for years: does water fluoridation increase behavioral disorders?

The Fluoride and ADHD Debate

The study revitalizing the fluoride-ADHD link reports a significant correlation between fluoride exposure and ADHD symptoms/diagnosis, even across six different years. ^[1] The authors of the study noted that states who received the most fluoridated water had more ADHD diagnoses even after controlling for socioeconomic status. Considering the fact that fluoride interferes with hormone balance, it’s no wonder why we should be wary of this potential toxin.

Fluorosilicic acid is the main form of fluoride added to drinking water and is a byproduct of phosphate fertilizer manufacturing. This form has been shown to leach lead from pipes which has been shown to elevate lead–a potent neurotoxin–in the body. ^[2] Lead has been directly linked to ADHD development. Fluoride may also impact thyroid health, which could also contribute to improper brain development. ^[3] What’s more, one study has shown that there is nine percent more cases of hypothyroidism in fluoridated areas than non-fluoridated areas in England. ^[4]

What You Can Do It is crucial you are consuming filtered or distilled water at all times in order to avoid the possible complications from fluoride ingestion. Whether you know it or not, you could be consuming fluoridated water through processed foods and beverages, too, so it may be best to reduce the consumption of these products. Consume more whole foods and make your meals using whole, fresh ingredients. Supplement with iodine to keep your thyroid health in check if you are in a situation where you must drink fluoridated water, or if you are eating or drinking certain things of questionable quality.

References:

1.  Ashley J Malin and Christine Till. Exposure to fluoridated water and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder prevalence among children and adolescents in the United States: an ecological association. Environmental Health. 2015, 14:17. doi: 10.1186/s12940-015-0003-1.

2.  Coplan MJ, Patch SC, Masters RD, Bachman MS. Confirmation of an explanations for elevated blood lead and other disorders in children exposed to water disinfection and fluoridation chemicals. Neurotoxicology. 2007 Sep;28(5):1032-42.

3.  A. Strunecka, O. Strunecky, J. Patocka. Fluoride Plus Aluminum: Useful Tools in Laboratory Investigations, but Messengers of False Information. Physiol. Res. 51: 557-564, 2002.

4.  S Peckham, D Lowery, S Spencer. Are fluoride levels in drinking water associated with hypothyroidism prevalence in England? A large observational study of GP practice data and fluoride levels in drinking water. J Epidemiol Community Health.

7-Year-Old Boy Makes Twisted Joke At School … So CPS Seizes Him

Image source: Health Impact News/family

Eight police officers surrounded a couple’s home and took their seven-year-old son away because of a disagreement with school officials over ADHD and mental health, the parents say.

Christian and Katie Maple lost custody of seven-year-old Camden because they disagreed with school officials’ assessment of the boys’ mental health, they told Health Impact News. He attends Bowman Primary School in Lebanon, Ohio.

They describe him as a normal American boy: He has five siblings and enjoys Star Wars, Pokemon, football and Legos. He even has tested a grade above his current grade, the website reported.

“The school thinks he is ADHD, we as parents disagree,” the couple told Health Impact News. “We believe that it stems mostly from boredom and not being challenged in the classroom. The school has tried on several occasions to get us to have him diagnosed, so that he can be medicated.

Turn Drive Time Into Learning Time For Your Kids — Without DVDs!

“We as parents do not have the problems the school claims to have with him, at home. We know how to deal with a rambunctious 7-year-old, but the school is content with making him believe that he is a bad child, we disagree.”

The controversy began when the parents were called to pick up Camden following an incident at school. Camden had been disruptive in class and had told a school counselor that he was upset because he felt that he was bad and he wanted to “erase himself from the earth.” The counselor asked how he would have done that, and he responded that he would have stabbed himself in the eye, Health Impact News reported.

Christian and Katie had a lengthy conversation with their son after they left school. They saw the incident different than the school saw it.

“Camden said that he did not want to hurt himself and just said that because he was upset and wanted to see what the counselor would say,” they told the website. “The school thought we should have taken him to the hospital emergency room for a mental health evaluation, but upon assessing the situation and speaking to him at home, it was clear to us that he posed no threat to himself and just said it to get a rise out of the counselor. He has never said anything about harming himself prior to this incident or after. This was one time, one day … most likely repeating something he heard somewhere.”

They added, “If we really believed that he would have really hurt himself, then we would have taken him to be assessed. They’ve blown this way out of proportion.”

Put God Back Into History With These Amazing Stories For Kids! Read More Here.

The next day, school officials phoned the couple to ask if they had taken him to the hospital. They also wanted to know the details of the couple’s conversation with the boy. When the parents refused to disclose what was said, the school contacted CPS, according to the parents.

Two weeks later, Christian and Katie learned that there was a court hearing “later that day” on March 3. The judge sided with the school and CPS, and police officers were sent to the home to assist in the boy’s removal. He remains in state custody.

The parents were ordered to get a psychological evaluation and drug and alcohol tests. The psychological tests came back normal. The drug and alcohol test results were clean.

“How can this be?” Katie asked. “How can CPS get away with ripping children from loving homes without just cause? … CPS should not have this much unchecked power.”

They added, “There is nothing to stop this from happening to anyone.”

What is your reaction? Share it in the section below:

6yo Boy Kidnapped from School By Police, Locked in Psych Ward for 3 Days — for Temper Tantrum

“It felt like my child had been kidnapped,” she said. “I can’t even hug my kid and tell him it’s going to be okay.”

Jacksonville, FL — For throwing a temper tantrum, 6-year-old Nicholas, who has been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, was kidnapped from his elementary school by police and imprisoned in a psychiatric hospital.

Nicholas was held, including multiple stints in a ‘seclusion room,’ for three days at River Point Behavioral Health.

According to Buzzfeed, “River Point Behavioral Health is a troubled unit of the nation’s largest psychiatric hospital chain, Universal Health Services. UHS was the subject of a recent BuzzFeed News investigation, which found that current and former employees from at least 10 of the company’s hospitals in nine states said they were under pressure to fill beds by almost any method and to hold patients until their insurance payments ran out. Nicholas was covered by Medicaid, the government insurance program.”

Once admitted to the hospital, the staff stayed true to their tendency of holding patients and did everything they could to use the state to force Nicholas to stay. This was in spite of his parents’ demands to let him out.

“I didn’t want him to be there at all,” Nicholas’ mom told BuzzFeed News, adding that she immediately asked the facility to release her son because he was so young and didn’t need to be there.

“It felt like my child had been kidnapped,” she said. “I can’t even hug my kid and tell him it’s going to be okay.”

At River Point, as reported by Buzzfeed, Nicholas would be given a bloody nose by another child, get locked in a “seclusion” room at 3 in the morning, and wait more than 24 hours to see a psychiatrist, according to medical records provided by his parents.

His parents asked at least three times to take their son home — every time, they were denied.

“The Baker Act is supposed to confine really mentally ill people who are dangerous — and a kid who has a temper tantrum is not a danger to the public,” said Stephen Talmadge, a lawyer and psychologist who specializes in that law and who reviewed documents from Nicholas’s case, according to Buzzfeed. ”What is the kid going to do, bite a stranger?”

When Nicholas’ parents finally got to see their son, he’d been put through so much torment and stress that he couldn’t make eye contact or even talk.

“He was out of his mind, we didn’t recognize him,” said his father. “It was hard to leave him there — you wanted to just grab him and run out of the facility with him.”

As Buzzfeed reports, this little boy, who the state deemed a threat to society was nothing of the sort. After he was finally released from the hospital, he went back to his kind and loving self.

On a recent warm December day at a playground in Jacksonville, Nicholas was dressed in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles T-shirt and blue jeans, his skin bronzed from the Florida sun. He kissed his mother and ran off to play.

At one point, Nicholas bumped into a smaller boy on the swing set and looked startled when the boy fell down and began to cry. Nicholas ran and hid under the slide.

But then he emerged and approached the boy. They began taking turns tossing a ball at a hoop in the corner of the playground. Soon, they were laughing.

The 55lb, 4′ tall 6-year-old, as described above, is the same person police, school officials, state officials, and state-funded psychiatrists all felt was a threat to society.

What this case illustrates is the dependency upon the state to resort to the use of police and force to solve problems previously solved by councilors and parents.

As the Free Thought Project previously reported, according to statistics released by the U.S. Department of Education and published by NBC News, in the 2011-2012 school year, teachers called the cops on students a total of 31,961 times in the state of California alone, leading to 6,341 arrests.

If a 6-year-old boy was taken by police from a school and locked in an isolation room in the 90’s, you can rest assured that this would not fly. Instead, it has become the go-to approach in the land of the free.

In May, we reported on the video showing a San Antonio Independent School District police officer body slam a 12-year-old girl. In February, the Free Thought Project brought you the story of the Baltimore School cop who was seen beating a student who had done nothing wrong.

In fact, recent videos have revealed a myriad of school cops attacking unarmed students. In December, Officer Rigo Valles was cleared of any wrongdoing after grabbing a student by the neck and slamming him to the floor. In October, Richland County Deputy Ben Fields was fired after students recorded him flipping over a girl’s desk and dragging her across the floor. Oklahoma City Master Sgt. Thomas Jaha was charged with assault and battery in October as well, after repeatedly punching a student in the face for not having a hall pass.

In November 2015, prosecutors agreed to dismiss assault charges against Louisville Metro Police Officer Jonathan Hardin for punching a student in the face if the former officer completes anger management classes. Hardin still faces wanton endangerment, official misconduct, and assault charges for choking another student unconscious in a separate incident five days later. In separate incidents earlier this year, school cops have also been caught attacking an autistic boy, body-slamming a child, and raping nearly two dozen students.

And these are the ones the public knows about. How many more incidents, just like this one, go unreported and unpunished?

What this data illustrates is the societal dependence on the state to solve matters that should be handled without government. Being dependent upon the state to solve one’s problems is a de facto dependency upon violence.

“The State represents violence in a concentrated and organized form. The individual has a soul, but as the State is a soulless machine, it can never be weaned from violence to which it owes its very existence.” -Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

If you truly want a glimpse into the horrid effects of the police state on all school children, take a scroll through our archives, at this link.

Until people wake up to the reality of relying on a system of violence to maintain “order” and behavior compliance, we can expect this problem to get worse.

Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA. This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state. Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world. Follow @MattAgorist on Twitter and now on Steemit

Move Over Amphetamines — Cannabis Shown to Successfully Treat ADHD

When a parent learns their son or daughter is smoking pot, it can be the end of the world for them, especially if they’re teetotalers. First, there are the tears, followed by anger and disappointment, followed by punitive measures such as taking a cell phone away, putting the kid on lock down, and understandably, making life miserable for the typical teenager. But there may be an explanation for why one’s child smokes weed. It may be that the child is treating his/her Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) by self-medicating, and it just might be working.

We already know that hemp extract (CBD) is being used to treat seizure disorders in epileptic infants, toddlers, and children, with impressive results. Recent national attention has been given to The Realm of Caring, which posts testimony after testimony of success stories on its website, extolling the benefits of hemp oil for epilepsy and other serious brain disorders. But that might be the extent of common knowledge the general public has about CBD oil and its benefits.

Practitioners and users alike seem to know that CBD treats innumerable serious illnesses. And marijuana (THC) may be no different. Just this month, former NFL quarterback Jim McMahon came out in favor of Prop 205, Arizona’s November 8^th ballot measure to legalize marijuana for recreational use in the state. The former QB star stated he moved to Arizona to get his medical marijuana card to treat the chronic pain he lives with after spending a career taking hits in the NFL. “Someone like me can afford to be a medical marijuana patient. But others aren’t so lucky. Marijuana should be available to all adults who need it,” he declared referencing marijuana’s ability to treat chronic pain. But what we’ve yet to see, and what some would like to see, is a national conversation about marijuana’s ability to help ADD/ADHD sufferers get relief from the illness’ debilitating effects.

We keep getting feedback from ADD/ADHD cannabis users and what they’re saying about weed. They claim it’s a wonder drug for ADD/ADHD. Ask any toker and they’ll tell you. We only use the word “drug” because the federal government refuses to declassify cannabis as anything but a narcotic. To investigate their claims, we visited a medical marijuana dispensary in Washington State to get users’ qualitative perspective on marijuana’s medicinal properties for the treatment of ADD/ADHD. We met Maria and heard her story. Maria said she was diagnosed with ADHD at an early age and was given a pile of pharmaceutical pills to take. First, there were the stimulants (methylphenidate and amphetamine salts). Those helped her focus but took away her appetite she said. Then there were the anti-depressants she was given to help her with her moods. Those, she said, made her suicidal. Lastly, she was given seizure meds to further control her mood swings. In the end, she said none of it helped, all had serious side effects, but she somehow managed to graduate high school with a 1.8-grade point average.

“My sister smoked pot when I was in school, but I didn’t want to get into ‘drugs’,” remarked Maria. “But one day, I’d had enough of all the pills,” she said adding, “I was going crazy!” That’s when she tried marijuana again. And then the epiphany happened. Being much more in tune with her body, and being a little older, she said weed began to work like no other medicine she’d taken before. All of a sudden, after having smoked a Sativa strain, she realized she wasn’t baked, but rather focused, and weed allowed her to take control of her life.

“I enrolled in the local community college, and I have a 3.9 GPA,” she said adding, “I owe it all to weed.”  “Sure, there are days when I still struggle, who doesn’t, but I’m not on the medicines and I feel free,” she stated. We heard the same story over and over again from many different individuals at the dispensary. It seems they know something about weed that the federal government, whose close ties with big pharma are well documented, refuses to acknowledge. In the users’ minds, weed works better than the highly addictive and side effect riddled medicines most often prescribed by doctors for ADHD.

So we want to know, why isn’t ADHD listed in more states as a “qualifying conditions” to treat with medical marijuana? The answer, although still unclear, might be found in the close relationship big pharma has with the government. Allegedly, in order to fatten their bottom line, Novartis Corp., the maker of Ritalin, “worked with the American Psychiatric Association (APA), and a group called CHADD, Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, to effectively promote Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as a chronic problem and to push Ritalin as its treatment.” In recent lawsuits, plaintiffs contended, “Ritalin does not improve educational performance in individuals diagnosed with ADHD. The lawyers also say that, while the drug was directly marketed to consumers and promoted for widespread use, consumers were not informed of the drug’s side effects, which can be serious.”

So, let’s get this straight. A drug company, whose fiduciary responsibility is to its investors, worked with what is supposed to be an independent association of health professionals, to classify ADHD as a chronic condition, in order to be able to prescribe a lifetime of stimulant medicines (methylphenidate) to unsuspecting children who cannot sit still or focus. Partnerships like the one just mentioned have proven to be a windfall for drug companies like Novartis and Shire (maker of Adderall XR and Vyvanse), but not without controversy. Shire, in 2014, was ordered to pay 56.5 million dollars to settle claims stemming from exaggerated claims its drug could “normalize” ADHD sufferers. While Adderall works for many, using it has potentially addicted millions of children onto powerful stimulants, drugs they sometimes cannot get from their pediatrician after they graduate high school.

And therein might lie the underlying problem fueling the methamphetamine scourge of addiction our nation is facing. In the opinion of many, drug companies like Shire are the culprits of the meth addiction epidemic. Alexander Zaitchik of The Guardian wrote, “Poor people do dirty drugs like ‘meth’ and ‘speed’ and ruin their lives. Middle-class strivers do ‘meds’ and succeed while slimming down. But the truth is all speed is addictive. And all speed, even elegantly designed concoctions like Vyvanse, leaves users crashed out and riddled with anxiety and depression that deepens with time.” So, once again, it seems it’s all about the money. And all along, it appears there’s been a much safer way to deal with the illness of ADHD; cannabis supplementation. And just like CBD, one doesn’t have to get high to experience the benefit from THC.

At an international symposium on cannabinoid therapeutics last year, researchers presented clinical data indicating that the use of herbal cannabis relieves symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults. German researchers selected 30 patients whose condition had proven resistant to conventional drug therapies, to study and evaluate the effects of cannabis on their ADHD symptoms.

Test subjects were reported to experience an easing of symptoms, including “improved concentration and sleep, and reduced impulsivity,” following the cannabis therapy, according to researchers. Of the 30 patients, twenty-two in the study elected to suspend their use of pharmaceutical drugs during the study period—opting for use of cannabis as their sole means of treating their symptoms. Prior to this study, there had been minimal clinical data on the subject, despite widespread anecdotal reports of relief from those suffering from ADHD.

The negative association with weed may have come from the hippie generation’s embrace of weed in the 1960’s. But at much the same time Ritalin was being doled out to millions of children, Nancy Reagan’s propaganda campaign against weed, “Just Say No”, was launched on the American people. Now, decades later, and armed with anecdotal information like Maria’s story, many are learning saying “no” to weed is saying no to something that really helps.

We spoke with another medical marijuana card holder named Jimmy. He said he first tried weed at 14 after reading online it could help his ADD. Prior to trying weed, he said his ADD was debilitating. He said the best way to describe it was to imagine having “five thoughts all at once”, but having those multiple thoughts “all day long”. Jimmy said after smoking weed for the first time, he realized he could have one thought and stay focused throughout the day. Sure. His parents flipped out and tried to keep him from weed, by all means available, but it was only after they realized it was actually helping Jimmy did they start to see it was enabling him to achieve his life goals. He got his high school diploma, enrolled in college, and currently has over a 3.0  at the university.

Before her death, medical marijuana advocate Dr. Claudia Jensen was interviewed and even testified before Congress in 2004, that ADHD can be safely given to children and teens to treat the ADD/ADHD. She said she’d been prescribing cannabis to her teenage patients in California for years with excellent results. “The truth is one of the reasons that adolescents have an increase in use of cannabis and marijuana in this country is because they’ve been lied to. They’ve been told this is a very dangerous drug and it has no benefit. And unfortunately, that’s not what they experience in the street. And I think it’s more appropriate to bring it up out of the streets and into the doctor’s offices so that children and adolescents and parents can learn the truth and get some of the data and look at this drug not with a refer madness perspective but more with a scientific and factual perspective,” she proclaimed. She recommended edibles be given to her ADHD patients, a method of delivery which lasts all throughout the day to combat inattention, and impulsive behaviors.

While we realize the aforementioned anecdotal evidence is not scientific, it’s precisely what people are saying on the street about how weed helps them with ADD/ADHD.