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Dr. Mercola
August 16 2007
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80 Percent of Schools are Applying Pesticides

More than 80 percent of schools in America use toxic pesticides as a preventative measure, whether it‘s needed or not.

Mark Lame, an entomologist and professor at Indiana University‘s School of Public and Environmental Affairs, believes this is an entirely unnecessary practice that carries more risks than benefits to students and faculty.

The most widely used pesticides are, in fact, nerve poisons. They cause uncontrolled nerve firing, and disrupt the delicate hormone systems.

The link between pesticide exposure and health problems in children is already well established. Research has connected these endocrine-disrupting pesticides to health problems such as ADHD, autism, and infertility -- all of which are on the rise.

Professor Lame says pest problems are better managed through an integrated approach -- by preventing the conditions that attract pests into school facilities in the first place.

Lame serves as a consultant for schools around the country, helping them reduce the toxic load by implementing his Integrated Pest Management (IPM) process.

Science Daily July 21, 2007



Dr. MercolaDr. Mercola's Comments:

Even though schools believe they are doing the right thing by eliminating bugs and pests from the premises, they are actually putting children at serious risk for long-term damage.  

The United states uses about 888 million pounds of pesticides and herbicides each year. That’s the equivalent of three pounds of toxins for every man, woman and child, and the current pesticide load on your body is surely taking its toll. 

Among the many problems they cause include:

    • Heart congestion
    • Lung and kidney damage
    • Low blood pressure
    • Muscle damage
    • Weight loss
    • Damage to adrenal glands 
    • Brain damage, like Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's is not a pretty picture.  You may know someone with it. If you do, there is a high likelihood that exposure to pesticides played a role in this devastating disease. Unfortunately, it typically takes many years for this to happen, and by the time the damage is done there is very little you can do. So the smart thing is to avoid them to begin with.

Neurological Damage in Children is a Growing Problem 

What is, perhaps, even more disturbing is the neurological damage that is imposed on children.

Pesticides are especially dangerous to children because they are still developing, and may not be able to fully remove pesticides from their body. There are also periods during development when exposure to pesticides, or any toxin, can cause permanent damage to their system.

While some of the damage of these toxins may be apparent immediately, other harm may not appear until years later.

Researchers are increasingly pointing to pesticide and herbicide contamination as one cause for the many reported cases of autism, as well as attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Additionally, other researchers are finding links between pesticide exposure and decreased cognitive abilities, and aggression in children. Your nervous system, your immune system, and your endocrine (hormone) system are all closely related and in constant communication with each other, so when any one of the three systems is damaged or degraded, the other two may be adversely affected as well.

Pesticides and herbicides can adversely affect your child’s thyroid hormones, too. This is important, as irritability and aggressive behavior are linked to your thyroid hormone levels. Furthermore, some studies have shown that attention deficit and/or hyperactivity disorders in children are linked to changes in their levels of thyroid hormone.

Basic Precautions to Protect Your Family From Pesticides
  • Get rid of any pesticides or herbicides in your home, including any insecticides or lawn and garden products. There are safe natural alternatives that can be used in their place.
  • Find out if the water you use for showering, bathing, washing dishes, cooking, cleaning, and drinking is free of pesticides, herbicides or other toxins. If it is contaminated, get the right water treatment system to treat your specific problem.
  • Never spray pesticides -- such as DEET-containing insect repellents -- directly on your body. Look for natural repellents instead, or simply wear long-sleeved shirts and pants.
Is there any doubt that pesticides and herbicides -- not to mention fertilizers, plastics and toxic metals -- are affecting American children’s mental capacities, emotional balance, and social adjustment? Not in my mind.

Talk to your child’s school administration about their use of pesticides. Open up a dialog and raise awareness to the fact that there are other, safer alternatives out there.

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Community Comments ( 46 )
 Comment on this Article
  
  
Alaskadude
 [ Joined on 02/07 ] [ Posted on July 26, 2007 ]
26 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
Send your kids to school so they can get poisoned, shot, sold drugs, and indoctrinated in whatever the state thinks is right...
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
neroli moonstone
 		[ Joined on 06/07 ]  [ Posted on July 30, 2007]
2 Points        
   
Apprentice User
  Mercola
What about 80% of the developed ,( or we could say exploited ) planet still using pesticides! Whats the difference between poisoning the children at school or somewhere else? lets go organic; Love Dom ox
Mercola
  
samurai
 		[ Joined on 04/07 ]  [ Posted on August 16, 2007]
1 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola

WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE BROWN RECLUSE, I DON'T THINK MY DAUGHTER HAS EVER BEEN SICK WITH THE PRESENCE OF MOSQUITOS, ANTS, COCKROACHES, ETC.  

I DO FEEL THAT THE PESTICIDES THAT ARE USED IN THE SCHOOLS WILL MAKE HER SICK.  

SO SAD.  

OF COURSE IF I WERE TO SAY ANYTHING TO THE SCHOOL.... TO THE OBESE, UNHAPPY, WRINKLED, CIGARETTE SMOKING, DIET COKE DRINKING, USE THE WALGREENS DRIVE-THRU REGULARLY EMPLOYEES OF HER SCHOOL, THEY WOULD LOOK AT ME LIKE I WAS CRAZY.
Mercola
  
allgreen
 		[ Joined on 06/06 ]  [ Posted on August 17, 2007]
2 Points        
   
Novice User
  Mercola

I feel the same way Samurai, here in the East coast I'm considered weird because I enforce the ‘we-don't-eat-junk-food’ law on my kids. Let alone to try to find support from the school PTA on the argument that pesticides cause neurological damage, they will never take that seriously. I'm dealing with mothers that take great proud on the doughnut-soda or cupcake-soda combo they regularly bring to the classrooms.

If you are on the East coast and are planning on presenting your concerns to your local school, please be prepared for the face :0
Mercola
  
samurai
 		[ Joined on 04/07 ]  [ Posted on August 17, 2007]
       
   
Savvy User
  Mercola

ALLGREEN,

MY SITUATION IS WORSE: OBESE PEOPLE WHO FEEL THAT IT IS THE NEXT PILL, OR "ALLI" OR JUICE OR WITCH DOCTOR THAT WILL MAKE THEM SKINNY.

I AM IN DALLAS, TEXAS.
  
  
Magnolia
 [ Joined on 06/06 ] [ Posted on July 29, 2007 ]
10 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
Pesticides are one substance we CAN do without. I have a couple of stories for you:

My son went to a high school that merged with another high school. While the new facility was being built, he attended classes at the oldest school. There were rats, roaches, bats, mold and pieces of ceiling falling down in classrooms. He was there for two years. They routinely sprayed for bugs and he was sick all the time with extreme stomach pains. He had never had any kind of health problem before that. After he graduated, he went to college, married and tried unsuccessfully to start a family. If was discovered he had low sperm counts and low motility. Hmmm. Could that be pesticide related?

Next story:

We lived for a couple of years near a golf course, where my husband would run in the evenings with our young female toy poodle. At four years old, she developed tumors of the mammary glands which had to be surgically removed. I stopped the practice of golf course running for her after reading about the prevalence of breast cancer in women golfers. Coincidence?

Talk to your school board, arm yourself with all the available research. Become an expert. If you have children, you need to be knowledgeable about the effects of pesticide exposure on our delicate indocrine systems. Study your facts then get out in your communities and let your sane and educated voices be heard. And be persistent.

 [ Reply ]
  
  
Sheila C
 [ Joined on 12/06 ] [ Posted on July 28, 2007 ]
9 Points        
   
 
Apprentice User
Now that it is summer and most of the kids are out of school, they still like to go there to play.  I am so sure there won't be any "keep off the grass signs", like there should be.  What really gets me is when people have to spray themselves from head to foot with OFF because of a few mosquitos.  Also around here, people use ROUNDUP like it's freaking water.
 [ Reply ]
  
  
Vicki Marie
 [ Joined on 06/06 ] [ Posted on July 28, 2007 ]
8 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
My eleven year old daughter was at a softball game the other day. The girls had been warming up in the outfield for a while throwing, dropping and picking up the ball and throwing it again. After about 10 or 15 minutes someone yelled "Hey, tell the girls they just sprayed the field so be careful."

Thanks for the warning!
 
Why would you spray the field the day of a game in the middle of the season???? And, what are they supposed to do to "be careful"? Run to the washroom and wash their hands each time they pick up the ball that falls on the grass they just sprayed with some chemical??
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
veggienut
 		[ Joined on 09/06 ]  [ Posted on July 28, 2007]
2 Points        
   
Savvy User
  Mercola
I feel your frustration.  How do you even explain the fault in that kind of logic to someone?  You can't "be careful"...and if you have to be careful, shouldn't that make people think that maybe it's not safe ?
  
  
jennifer howard
 [ Joined on 01/07 ] [ Posted on July 26, 2007 ]
8 Points        
   
 
Apprentice User
This makes me very angry. I am currently on an emergency trip to TX from Minot AFB in ND. This trip is due to the aerial spraying of Trumpet EC pesticides over the city and AFB. This is a naled, DDVP containing pesticide that has been deemed a known carcinogen by the state of CA, but not by any others unfortunately. It is a corrosive poison, an endocrine distruptor, etc. I was told by a Lt. Colonel at the base hospital that the pesticide is "completely safe for humans" and the local news papers indicated that this is a "contact spray with no residual effects". People were not even warned to stay inside while the spraying was going on unless they were sensitive. Are you kidding me?! I guess pesticides are just used indiscriminately everywhere with no enforcement of any regulations and no attempt to minimize exposure. I have no idea how to help the situation as yet, but only know that I need to get my family out of the area while the spraying goes on. I guess I won't send him to public school either.
 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
taksan
 		[ Joined on 08/07 ]  [ Posted on August 16, 2007]
       
   
Novice User
  Mercola

Sadly, pesticides are the least of your worries today in public schools.  I have used both homeschool and public school and my last child only went to public school 2 years and will not go back. ( he is 15 now, and very bright.)

Have faith in yourself, you are the best teacher for your child.  There is a lot of help out there for homeschoolers these days.  Look in your area for an association and jump in , the water is fine!
Mercola
  
EQ
 		[ Joined on 03/07 ]  [ Posted on August 17, 2007]
       
   
Savvy User
  Mercola

Donna2:  "how can we care more about trees than our own grandchildren?"

Well, gosh, if there aren't any trees left your granchildren won't have an environment capable of supporting life.   If no people were around, the trees would do just fine.  Hmmmm... I'd say your grandchildren need these trees you don't care about to survive.

BTW.  I don't put one life form above another just because it more closely resembles a human.  A 2000 year old Sequoia is a venerable being on this little Blue Planet.
  
  
Chef Ted
 [ Joined on 07/07 ] [ Posted on July 28, 2007 ]
6 Points        
   
 
Novice User
There are pest control companies that offer safe (safer?) alternatives to those nasty chemicals.  They have programs specifically designed for schools, etc.
 [ Reply ]
  
  
veggienut
 [ Joined on 09/06 ] [ Posted on July 27, 2007 ]
5 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
I am sitting here in my apt. while ChemLawn TruGreen (don't you love the "tru" misspelled in there?) is spraying goose repellant on all the grass to keep the geese in the lake and not on the grass.  There are over 200 residents, mostly elderly in this established complex, and most of them have small dogs, like I do.  I happen to be home today, watching them do this, so I know not to take my dog onto the grass or hang out by the pool anytime soon.  BUT, they do not leave any signs posted saying they sprayed in the area.  Nothing.  No one would ever know if they didn't see the truck.  Apparently because it is a goose repellant and not fertilizer, they don't have to post any signs. 

I am very concerned for my dog and myself.  He is 10lbs.  He walks on that grass.  I am waiting for the office to open so I can call, but the reality is that I have no say in this happening.  I'm hoping I can at least get them to post signs so that if I'm not home I'll know to protect myself.
 [ Reply ]
  
  
mmc88121
 [ Joined on 11/06 ] [ Posted on July 26, 2007 ]
5 Points        
   
 
Moderator User
80% of schools that is a lot of schools, and most of these pesticides leave residual traces.  So how long are the schools going to be contaminated?

Mary
 [ Reply ]
  
  
Phantom O' Banjo
 [ Joined on 09/06 ] [ Posted on July 26, 2007 ]
4 Points        
   
 
Savvy User
I guess maybe they should give ritalin to those kids with adhd so they can keep spraying for those invisible pests.
 [ Reply ]
  
  
Cthulhu
 [ Joined on 05/07 ] [ Posted on August 16, 2007 ]
3 Points        
   
 
Apprentice User

It's simple guys! IF YOU HAVE KIDS, AND THEY GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOL, MAKE THEM TAKE A  LUNCH THAT YOU MADE THEM IN THE MORNING OR THE NIGHT BEFORE. Don't rely on your teachers who are mutes to nutrition to teach them that.

 [ Reply ]
Mercola
  
samurai
 		[ Joined on 04/07 ]  [ Posted on August 17, 2007]