Smoking, Lead Linked to Attention Deficit

A study published last week in the journal, Environmental Health Perspectives, reports that 1/3 of attention-deficit cases among U.S. children may be linked with either tobacco smoke or lead. The smoke effected the child while the mother was pregnant. And the effect of lead was after the child was born.

Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy were 2 1/2 times more likely to have ADHD than others. And children with blood lead levels of more than two micrograms per deciliter were 4 timers as likely to have ADHD than others.

The data analyzed 4,000 U.S. children ages 4 -15 during a government study conducted from 1999-2002.

I found this story in the Wall Street Journal and don't remember seeing it elsewhere. It should be everywhere since so many children are on heavy, unproved medication to treat this condition. In another column I'll offer natural methods to treat this condition but for now wanted to make sure the word was out there -- smoking and lead exposure are preventable.