Toxic tots

I've mentioned here before that our son Matthew has a very sensitive autoimmune system. This sensory processing disorder that he's got is an autoimmune disorder (it's at the mild end of the autism spectrum). We've noticed in the past that when he's down in south Louisiana visiting my parents in the country, he's a noticeably different kid. He's less anxious, and less irritable. I've asked him why, and he says that he likes having a lot more space to run around in than he does in the city. Which makes sense. Besides, it's fun being in a different place, with family and cousins around. I've never thought beyond those explanations for why he's so different visiting down there.

A friend passed along this remarkable article from Dallas Child magazine, telling the story of a Dallas-area gastroenterologist and his wife whose young son was suffering from a range of maladies that defied diagnosis. They finally were able to determine that the little boy had a wide range of food allergies, which they began to treat. But there was still a missing piece:

[Susan Sethi, the mother's] fears that their own home had become toxic were confirmed when she noticed two things upon returning from a family trip: Tej felt much better than usual during time away from home, and the house still smelled brand new, like fresh paint.

“It’s like a chemical cocktail in here,” she notes. “We didn’t have a special air filtering system at that point. I began to say, ‘Is it possible that this could have triggered something with my son?’”

Susan Sethi surveys the damage in retrospect: “We did a lot of faux finishes, re-painted the whole house, stained the existing hardwood and added hardwood floors to the rest of the house. We added new light fixtures, as well as new ceiling fans. And when we landscaped, we sprayed (harmful chemicals) to kill the weeds.” The family did not use, nor were aware of, eco-friendly paint, glue or carpeting — a business that is on the rise, according to the Organic Trade Association.

The Sethis soon discovered just how many toxic chemicals they had unwittingly introduced to their home. “The chemicals dispersed in regular paint are called volatile organic hydrocarbons (VOCs), and a lot of the glue used in the floors and padding under the carpet contains formaldehyde,” Susan Sethi reveals. “The paints, glues and stains also contained preservatives and other chemicals.”

The family realized that chemical assault in their home had pushed Tej’s already fragile immune system into overload. “I didn’t even know there was a connection between chemical sensitivities and pesticide exposure to food,” she laments. “I thought food was food. If you had a food allergy or food sensitivity, I thought it was separate from all those people walking around saying ‘Oh, I’m sensitive to gas fumes.’ I had no idea there was a connection.”

More:

“Our kids are the canaries in a coal mine,” says Dr. Kenneth Bock, author of Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies. “American children are growing up in a toxic environment, a chemical soup sensitizing them to even the common foods they need to grow and thrive.”

While scientists may wrangle endlessly over the details, the overall picture is clear. "Many environmental contaminants have been conclusively shown to affect the developing nervous system, causing a range of performance deficits," writes Dr. Stephen Gilbert in the Collaborative on Health and the Environment’s Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative, published in November 2007.

"The scientific evidence we have reviewed indicates environmental contaminants are an important cause of learning and developmental disabilities.”

Dr. Rebecca Gruchalla, professor of allergy and immunology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, colors in the frustrating picture faced by doctors and researchers who are teasing out the ways toxins contribute to so many childhood illnesses. “It’s not only what you’re exposed to but when you’re exposed to it,” she explains. “It may be the right mix of things you’re exposed to at a certain time and with a genetic predisposition.”

Bock calls this concept “synergistic toxicity,” an especially ugly equation for parents, because it means that even so-called “safe” levels of chemicals can collide with disastrous effects.

And while some parents are taking notice, spawning the growth of the multimillion-dollar market for organic baby furnishings, clothing, gear and personal-care products, the sheer number of potentially harmful substances can be too overwhelming (and costly to prevent) for the most chemical-conscious among us.

We live in an old house, but one that's been renovated. I would imagine that there's a lower level of toxicity in that environment, but I can't say for sure. My parents live in a more modern house anyway. If this is affecting Matthew, my guess -- and it's only a guess -- is that there's something about living in the city, and toxins present this urban environment, that harms my son -- something, or some set of things, not present in the rural area where my parents live.

It's just a thought. Any of you had any similar experiences, either yourselves, or with your children? I know that there are certain cleansers that I can't be in the presence of for more than a minute without getting a splitting headache. So it's likely that Matthew inherited any sensitivity to the environment from me, though he is far more susceptible to environmental toxins than I am, I'd say.