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Vol. 10
Issue 50…Dedicated to the Dialogue on Race…December 14,
2007
Bit of History
Herbert L Needleman
"Lead is a brain poison that interferes with the ability to
restrain impulses. It's a life experience which gets into biology and increases
a child's risk for doing bad things." Dr. Herbert L. Needleman
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Herbert L. Needleman graduated from
Overbrook High School. He earned a BA from Muhlenberg College. In 1952, he
received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of
Medicine. He did his internship at Philadelphia General Hospital. After serving
in the US Army, he trained in pediatrics at The Children's Hospital of
Philadelphia, where he became its chief resident in pediatrics.
Before entering private practice, Needleman completed a fellowship in Pediatric
Cardiology and Rheumatic Fever at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). He
trained in Psychiatry at Temple University, where he was assistant professor of
psychiatry from 1971 to 1980. Needleman was an attending physician at the
Children's Hospital of Boston and associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard
Medical School. Since 1981, he has been a professor of child psychiatry and
pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Starting in the 1970s, Needleman conducted a study at Harvard Medical School
that yielded strong evidence that lead, even at very low levels, can affect a
child's IQ. He was the first researcher to study the effects of lead during
pregnancy. He developed a new way of measuring body lead levels through analysis
of teeth. His work showed that children with high lead levels in their teeth -
but exhibited no other signs of lead poisoning - had lower 1Q scores, poorer
attention spans and language skills. His research has shown that boys with high
levels of lead concentrated in their bones are more likely to develop
aggressive or delinquent behavior, such as bullying, vandalism and shoplifting.
He demonstrated that lead exposure is associated with an increased risk for
reading disabilities and failure to graduate from high school.
Dr. Needleman's research has played a key role in the institution of
environment and health measures, which have reduced average blood lead levels
by an estimated 78 percent between 1976 and 1991. His research helped convince
the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to issue guidelines for the diagnosis and
management of lead poisoning in children, the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) to mandate the removal of lead from gas and the Consumer Product Safety
Commission to ban lead in house paint. Needleman's research also helped in
convincing the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to remove lead
from thousands of housing units across the USA.
Dr. Needleman has received numerous awards in recognition of his research, including
the 1995 Heinz Award. He has been elected to Who's Who in America, the
Institute of Medicine of The National Academy of Sciences, the Collegium
Ramazzini and Sigma Xi. His many publications, including Raising Children Toxic
Free: How to Keep Your Child Safe from Lead, Asbestos, Pesticides, and Other
Environmental Hazards, which he co-authored with Philip J. Landrigan, have
focused on the dangers of lead exposure and other the health dangers of other
toxins in the environment. (Sources: www.gwu.edu and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki)
The Dark Knight-Batman/White
Ninja/Zorro is looking forward to the X-Mas school vacation. His parents,
unimpressed with his performance this year, have told him not to expect much in
the way of holiday cheer. Always laid back, he pretended nonchalance, taking
their declarations in stride. When queried for comments, the Batman/Ninja/Zorro
replied, "I will not beg for anything; I have my pride."
The Gift That Keeps on Stealing
By John Burl Smith
Lead exposure is one of the most common preventable poisonings of childhood.
Center for Disease Control (CDC) data show that 6% of children ages 1-2 years
and 11% of blacks ages 1-5 years have blood lead levels in the toxic range.
Lead is a potent poison; children's rapidly developing nervous systems are
sensitive to it effects. It has wide ranging effects on their development and
behavior, because the per pound of body weight is greater in children than in
adults. Even small amounts of lead can cause inattention, hyperactivity and
irritability. High levels produce learning and reading problems, delayed growth
and hearing loss. Still higher levels can cause permanent brain damage and even
death.
A child's exposure to lead may easily be misdiagnosed as Attention
Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Children (particularly blacks) who show
inattention, distractibility, impulsiveness or hyperactivity are routinely
diagnosed with ADHD. However, exposure to lead can cause the same behavior.
ADHD occurs in 3-5% of school age children and is found in about 25% of
biological parents, whereas lead exposure may not have been a factor for
parents. Medication can help improve attention, focus, goal directed behavior,
and organizational skills in ADHD sufferers; such medications have little or no
impact on those suffering with lead exposure.
According to Dr. Herbert Needleman, lead exposure is the most preventable cause
of antisocial behavior. He documented and associated low lead levels in boys
with aggressive behavior, delinquency, and attention disorders - all predictors
of criminal behavior later in life. His 1996 study on antisocial behavior among
301 boys in Pittsburgh public schools, found high lead children had attention
problems with more reports of aggression and delinquency than their low lead
counterparts. Moreover, their behavior grew worse over time.
In 2000, a study of 216 convicted juveniles in Allegheny County, PA showed they
were nearly twice as likely to have high bone-lead levels, compared to those
with no convictions. Delinquency was associated with higher lead levels even
when sex, race, education and the neighborhood crime rate were taken into
account. About 16% of juvenile delinquent behavior was attributed to lead
exposure.
Researchers at the College of
Human Ecology at Cornell University in 2003 found even low blood lead levels
reduce concentration and IQs. They concluded more children are victims of low
lead levels than previously estimated. Similarly, neurologists at Shaare Zedek
Medical Center in Jerusalem found, "no threshold below where lead has no
effect on the central nervous system."
According to Dr.Needleman, "Such studies provide evidence that delinquent
behavior can be caused, in part, by childhood exposure to lead. They are part
of a growing body of evidence linking lead to cognitive and behavioral problems
in children. Of all the causes of juvenile delinquency, lead exposure is
perhaps the most preventable." With 11% of black children ages 1-5 years
having toxic blood lead levels and research showing that antisocial and
delinquent behavior a probable outcome, policymakers in the US should follow
the lead of British doctors who have called for routine blood screening for
lead levels in children with learning and behavioral problems.
The Grinch of toxic toys is not only stealing the joy of Christmas from
millions for starry-eyed children, but it will continue to rob them of the
promise of healthy and happy lives for years to come. Likewise, their plight
will be a blight upon society as law enforcement, courts, prisons, property,
pain and lost lives with extract social costs of immeasurable proportions for
many years and generations to come. In recognition of this harbinger of
disaster, those involved in The DISH’s toxic toys campaign
are asking its readers to email, call, fax and write letters to the president,
senators, representatives, governors and other policymakers with a wake up call
and demand children be screened for lead. Like DNA testing, lead screening
should be mandated for troubled youth. Learn more about the dangers of lead at www.fi.edu/learn/brain/metals.html
and www.aeclp.org.
Disgruntled wants to know:
After special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's appointment to investigate the
outing of CIA agent Valerie Plame, the Bush administration stopped commenting.
Tongue in cheek, officials declined to speak even after Bush commuted I Lewis
"Scooter" Libby's prison sentence. Although the case is closed, they
are still not talking; questions go unanswered. On the destruction of CIA
interrogation tapes, it is following the same playbook. Since obstruction of
justice is a real possibility in this case, it is a good thing the matter is
under investigation. Problem is, the Bush administration is investigating
itself. Given its history, can this junta be trusted to conduct an impartial
examination and follow the evidence wherever it leads without reservation?
Disgruntled
feels: Amazed! It never ceases to amaze me the lack of critical thinking
that goes into decisions about discipline in the public school system. Already
failing our children academically and prematurely steering many into the
criminal justice system, public school officials exacerbate this situation by
meting out harsh discipline for minor infractions. School suspensions for
writing notes or drawing pictures are inappropriate responses that send the
wrong message. Kids know they can get out of school by writing a nasty note or
drawing something provocative. There is a television game show that pits adults
against fifth grade students; the children often win. With adults, like those
teaching in public schools meting out ridiculous discipline, I am amazed the
children ever lose.
Disgruntled
says: A man in Texas killed two men after calling police to report them
robbing his neighbor's house. Texas law allows citizens to have guns to protect
themselves and their property. The Texan left his home to confront the men
after told by the emergency operator not to do so. Moments later, the men,
illegal immigrants, were dead. The incident has stirred quite a controversy.
One side believes the man acted properly; he claims he felt threatened, a claim
often used by police in killing unarmed blacks. The other side believes what he
did amounts to murder and he should be charged accordingly. The dead men were apparently
shot while fleeing; they were men of color. The shooter is white. So, race has
become part and parcel of the controversy. Talking heads, like Lou Dobbs, who
are making out like bandits pushing the illegal immigration debate, seem to
support the white shooter. In all the uproar, we should not lose sight of what
is important. The robbers were breaking the law by taking things, which can be
replaced; the shooter, acting as judge and jury, took two lives, which are
irreplaceable. While some in this materialistic society value dogs and
inanimate objects above humans, especially those they consider low life,
people, regardless of class or color, are more important than things.
The Cost of Misdiagnosis May Be Alzheimer's
By John Burl Smith
There's a decline in brain power as we get
older - generally we call this 'normal aging.' Some of what we have been
calling 'normal aging' may in fact be due to past exposures to chemicals or
other agents that can affect the central nervous system. This is potentially a
very important health problem. Dr. Brian Schwartz, MD, Johns
Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health
Short of Chelation or Clathration
Therapy administered by a professional to remove lead from the body, Vitamin D,
diets low in phosphates and high in pectins, foods high in sulfur that contain
amino acids (methionine, cysteine) such as onions, garlic and beans can help
minimize the impact of lead in the body. Sweating heavily also helps to some
extent according to Dr. Walter J. Crinnion, naturopathic physician in Bellevue,
Washington. Lead lodges in the fatty tissue of the brain, and over time, it destroys
its supporting structures.
A four-year study compared 535 former chemical manufacturing employees with an
average of 8 years of occupational exposure to lead and an average of 16 years
since last working with lead with 118 non-exposed people from the same
neighborhoods. Neurological tests were given and blood and bone levels of lead
were measured. Lead workers not only had greater declines in test scores, but
also normal age-related brain function declines. Dr. Brian Schwartz concluded,
"The effects of bone lead levels found in former lead workers seemed to
add 5 years of aging to the brain." Significant differences in tests
involving visual construction, verbal memory and learning, visual memory,
planning and organizational ability, and manual dexterity were discovered in
the former workers. "The higher lead levels in former lead workers, the
greater the decline in brain functions. Since these declines were seen long
after exposure to lead ended, it seems the effect of lead on the brain is
progressive."
Lead damages an important mechanism in the brain, a white fatty protective
substance that insulates nerves and allows them to carry signals quickly and
accurately called myelin. Beginning in gestation, the myelin sheath, a
protective covering around nerve fibers, begins to form and continues into the
mid-twenties. This process, called myelination, occurs very slowly in the
prefrontal cortex. If the myelin sheath is damaged, the electrochemical impulse
of nerves will become abnormal and uncoordinated. Consequently, the information
conveyed is scrambled or cut off. Myelin-producing cells seem to be
particularly vulnerable to lead. Animal studies indicate lead inhibits
myelination, and prolonged exposure causes significant changes in the structure
of myelin cells. Also, lead interferes with the formation of tiny pipe-like
structures that transport brain chemicals within neurons.
Lead also blocks neurotransmitter development in the brain. It blocks the
synthesis of calcium atoms which regulates serotonin and dopamine,
neurotransmitters essential to normal impulse control, and suppresses violent
behavior. Lead alters the developmental processes of synapse formation,
resulting in a less efficient brain causing cognitive deficits. Evidence has
shown that lead disrupts processes that are regulated by calcium by mimicking
or inhibiting the action of calcium as a regulator of cell function.
These findings are particularly important for those suffering with Alzheimer's
disease. Early research shows that changes in myelin are more pronounced in
Alzheimer's patients than in normal aging. Swedish researchers at the
University of Goteborg studying the brains of deceased Alzheimer's and vascular
dementia patients concluded that the altered fatty acid of white matter
indicates "the myelin sheath is the area primarily damaged and that
membrane lipids which are selectively diminished in Alzheimer's brains indicate
that demyelination is a primary event in late-onset of Alzheimer's
disease." Taken together with other research on the effect of lead in the
brain, similar to ADHD, it is conceivable that physicians maybe misdiagnosing
lead's impact on the brain, then later it's diagnosed as Alzheimer's disease.
Toxic Toys: Grinch Steals More Than Christmas
By John Burl Smith
If you have children, work with
or just care about them, these statistics should startle and alert you to the
dangers facing them, as a result of greedy toy makers. Although recalls have
stopped, does anyone really believe that China's toy makers changed their
manufacturing processes in a few months so that the toys on store shelves are
free of lead? Ask yourself, is following the toy giving tradition more
important than your child's health? Who will you blame or what will you tell
yourself five years from now?
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 15 to 18 million children in
developing countries suffer from permanent brain damage due to lead poisoning.
In the United States (US), a million children between the ages of 1 and 5 have
blood lead levels that exceed US standards. Low-income children are 8 times
more likely to be exposed to lead paint, and black children are 5 times more
likely than Anglo children to be victims of lead poisoning.
Dr. Lise Eliot stresses the danger of prenatal lead exposure; its effects are
quite similar to malnutrition. "Lead interferes with the function of many
enzymes in the body. It is particularly troublesome during development because
it blocks mineral absorption, energy utilization, and DNA synthesis - all steps
that allow cells to grow and divide. Consequently, women exposed to lead have
higher rates of infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, and are
likelier to give birth to babies with minor defects."
Subtler effects on mental function seen among children exposed to lead before
birth are a great concern. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
established the safe lead level in the blood at 10 micrograms per deciliter
(ug/dL) in 1991. It selected this level to avoid forcing a more expensive test
on healthcare providers. Small but significant mental deficits have been
documented among children with fetal lead levels that exceeded 10ug/dL.
However, if lead exposure ends at birth, its effects may be reversible and
children recover normal IQ scores by age 4 or 5. If exposure continues after
birth or the environment is impoverished, effects may be irreversible.
After summarizing research in 1993, the National Research Council (NRC)
concluded "There is no effective threshold for some of the adverse effects
of lead. Even very small exposures to lead can produce subtle effects in
humans." Dr. Bruce Lanphear, an associate professor of pediatrics at
Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati stated, "It's estimated that
one in every 30 US children suffers from the harmful effects of lead. After
examining 4,800 children and adolescents for toxicity threshold effects on IQ
scores, it was reported that even with blood lead concentrations as low as 5ug/dL,
learning problems were detected. For every 1ug/dL rise in blood lead levels,
reading scores dropped an average of 1%."
Thanks to technology, "Children with low lead level exposure can be
studied," according to Dr. Lanphear. He measured blood lead levels in 276
New York children - twice a year, from 6 months to 5 years of age. At 5, the
kids were given IQ tests. Those with a lead concentration of less than 10ug/dL
scored 10 points lower than children with concentrations of less than 1ug/dL.
Levels as low as 2.5ug/dL were associated with lower scores in reading and
mathematics. For every additional 10ug/dL increase in blood-lead concentration,
IQ declined by 5.5 points.
Lead in unborn children is most devastating. The "placental barrier"
does not stop lead from maternal blood going to the fetus. According to Walter
J. Crinnion, who teaches environmental toxicity and clinical ecology at Bastyr
University in Seattle, "Studies have shown that fetus blood lead is equal
to maternal lead level. This placental transfer of lead begins early in
gestation and continues throughout fetal development." For every increase
of 5 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood, the risk of spontaneous
abortion nearly doubles.
Difficult Children
By Gene Bedley
Difficult Children, some times need probation
If I don't get help I'll need a vacation.
Difficult Children, both stubborn and defiant,
Their every move is less than compliant.
Difficult Children, view school a different way,
Their desire for attention challenges my day.
Difficult Children, fit every description
I'll go anywhere to find a prescription
Difficult Children, they're hard to endure
They cause me to dig deep to find a cure.
Difficult Children, add to my load,
Making poor choices as they travel life's road.
Difficult Children, have blind spots galore,
Increasing their options only adds pain and more.
Difficult Children, some days you'd expel
Perhaps they are gifted, only time will tell.
Difficult Children, are absolute stress,
They're really my teachers, it's only a test.
Difficult Children, impulsive and bold,
Their history and future are yet to unfold.
Difficult Children, from difficult domains
Love, logic and
limits will produce daily gains
Mailbox: E-Mail, Faxes and Phone
Calls
Email www.keepgradypublic.org The Grady board will
hold two public hearings December 27 on the proposed lease agreement that would
relinquish much of the board's power to an independent non-profit operating
board. One meeting is scheduled from 1:30 to 3:30 PM in Fulton County at the
Steiner Auditorium at Grady Memorial Hospital, 68 Armstrong Street. The second
meeting will be held in DeKalb County from 6 to 8 PM in the Manuel J. Maloof
Auditorium at 1300 Commerce Drive in Decatur. On December 31, the Grady Board
will be holding its regular meeting at Grady Hospital. Please attend and speak
out to keep Grady public. Grady is our hospital!
Email bertskellie@gmail.com -The
AMERIGROUP Foundation announced today that it has donated $100,000 to the Henry
W. Grady System Foundation. The funds will be used to support the work of Grady
Memorial Hospital, which plays a pivotal role in bringing healthcare to many
low-income and uninsured Georgia residents.
Email www.kxan.com...Lab Finds Toxic Metals In
Wal-Mart Pet Toys... ConsumerAffairs.com reported that a Texas lab found
elevated levels of lead, chromium and cadmium in two Chinese-made pet toys sold
at Wal-Mart. The dog toy, a latex green monster, tested positive for high
levels of lead and the carcinogen chromium. The other toy, a cloth catnip
trinket, also tested positive for "a tremendous amount" of cadmium.
Email www.reuters.com...In Cleveland, 6,000 apply
for 300 Wal-Mart jobs....Cleveland's first Wal-Mart is about to open, and with
it comes 300 jobs in an metro area that is struggling economically. The result,
according to the Plain Dealer: 6,000 people applied, or 20 applicants for every
one job. Most of the jobs are lower-paying, lower-skills positions, and the
demand for those posts disturbs some people. "That's Depression-era kind
of imagery," Amy Hanauer, executive director of Policy Matters Ohio.
Email http://news.yahoo.com...Bush vetoes
kids health insurance bill for second time...By Jennifer Loven... Bush vetoed
legislation that would expand government-provided health insurance for
children, his second slap-down of a bipartisan effort in Congress to increase
funding for the program. It was Bush's seventh veto in seven years -- all but
one coming since Democrats took control of Congress in January. Bush vetoed the
bill in private. In a statement notifying Congress of his decision, Bush said
the bill was unacceptable because -- like the first one -- it allows adults
into the program, would cover people in families with incomes above the U.S.
median and raises taxes.