Prenatal exposure to chemicals alters infants' brain activity

Pregnant mothers who are subjected to chemicals are at risk of delivering kids with poor cognition and behavioural problems. A new study in this regard has found that this exposure can harm and alter the infants' brain activity in the womb.

Researchers in this study used functional near-infrared imaging (NIRS) to monitor blood flow in the brains of 95 teenagers born and raised m where agricultural spraying of pesticides is common.

They found that these teenagers estimated to have higher levels of prenatal exposure to organophosphates ( commonly used class of pesticides in the US) and showed altered brain activity while performing taks that require executive control as compared to their peers.

These results are compelling because they support what we've seen with our neuropsychological testing, which os that organophosphates impact the brain, said the lead author.

Researchers ised fNIRS to measure brain activation while teens were between the age of 15-17, engaged in a variety of tasks requiring executive function, attention, social cognition and language comprehension.

fMRI uses infrared light to monitor blood flow in the outer regions or cortex, of the brain.

They also found that teens with higher prenatal organophosphate exposure had less blood flow to the frontal cortex when engaged in tasks that test cognitive flexibility and visual working memory and that they had more blood flow to the parietal and temporal lobes during tests of linguistic working memory.

With fNIRS and other neuroimaging, we're seeing more directly the potential impact of oragnophosphate exposure on the brain and it may be more sensitive to neurological deficit than cognitive testing, said the senior author of the study.

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Scientists Warn Smartphones Are Causing Mental Health Problems In Young Children

Times have really changed. Nowadays, everywhere you go you see elementary school kids with their own smartphones and toddlers playing games on their parents' phones or tablets. 

The digital world has infiltrated nearly every aspect our lives, and while there has been good that's come out of it, there have also been some negative consequences. 

For example, an experiment conducted by five high school biology students discovered that the radiation from Wi-Fi may be the reason why they have difficulty concentrating in school and trouble sleeping at home. 

In their experiment, they took 400 cress seeds and separated them between 12 different containers. All the cress seeds that were kept far away from the Wi-Fi router grew healthy, but the ones next to the router did not.

This experiment received worldwide recognition last year, and for good reasons. There's simply a lot we don't know about our phones and the systems that help operate it, and how those affect our health.

Researchers have now discovered some more staggering information about the dangers of mobile and tablet use, and this time it's directed towards children as young as two.

According to the CDC, 1 in 5 American children ages three to 17 have a mental or behavioral disorder. 

Researchers are not surprised by these stats."Half of mental health problems develop by adolescence," the professors said.

In a nationwide health survey in 2016, the scientists analyzed data provided by the parents of more than 40,000 US children aged two to 17.

The questionnaire asked about their children's medical care, any emotional or developmental issues, and how much time they spend looking at a screen. 

They warn that by just spending one hour staring at a screen can make children more likely to be depressed or anxious. 

Not only that, young children are also at risk of being less curious, distracted, and have lowered self-control.

According to a report, a nonprofit organization that helps children, parents, and educators navigate the world of media and technology, kids under nine years old are spending more than two hours a day on screens. 

As for adolescents, they're spending more than seven hours a day on screens. The study warns that these negative effects are worrisome, but there's still hope."How children and adolescents spend their leisure time is [easier] to change."

There's a lot that can be done to better the mental health of the next generation.

While letting your child play with a phone or tablet is a reward they love, it may not be worth it in the long run.

Parents and teachers must be cognizant of the amount of time children spend online or watching TV.
Here are three tips that will help you limit your child's screen time.

1. Establish "technology-free zones" in your home.

Let your children know that certain places in the house are meant for other purposes, and not for someone to watch television or surf the internet.
Many parents will force their children to unplug in the dining room, but some people recommend banning screen time in the bedroom too.  

2. Make the use of technology a privilege

There's nothing wrong with giving your child a reward they love, but make sure they don't abuse it.
Try to encourage your child to participate in other activities so that they understand screen time is a privilege.

3. Talk to your kids about the dangers

Just like how you tell your children about the importance of healthy eating and other healthy habits, discuss with them the importance of limited screen time.

Share this article to raise awareness about the dangers of smartphone and tablet use in young children! 

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Blood, urine tests can detect autism in kids

Scientists have developed new blood and urine tests that can diagnose autism in children, allowing patients to get appropriate treatment much earlier in their lives. Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are defined as developmental disorders mainly affecting social interaction and they can include a wide spectrum of behavioural problems. These include speech disturbances, repetitive and/or compulsive behaviour, hyperactivity, anxiety, and difficulty to adapt to new environments, some with or without cognitive impairment. Since there is a wide range of ASD symptoms diagnosis can be difficult and uncertain, particularly at the early stages of development. "Our discovery could lead to earlier diagnosis and intervention," said a researcher. "We hope the tests will also reveal new causative factors. With further testing we may reveal specific plasma and urinary profiles or "fingerprints" of compounds with damaging modifications," said the researcher. "This may help us improve the diagnosis of ASD and point the way to new causes of ASD," she said. The study found a link between ASD and damage to proteins in blood plasma by oxidation and glycation - processes where reactive oxygen species (ROS) and sugar molecules spontaneously modify proteins. They found the most reliable of the tests they developed was examining protein in blood plasma where, when tested, children with ASD were found to have higher levels of the oxidation marker dityrosine (DT) and certain sugar-modified compounds called "advanced glycation endproducts" (AGEs). Genetic causes have been found in 30-35 per cent of cases of ASD and the remaining 65-70 per cent of cases are thought to be caused by a combination of environmental factors, multiple mutations, and rare genetic variants. However the research team also believe that the new tests could reveal yet to be identified causes of ASD. The research also confirmed the previously held belief that mutations of amino acid transporters are a genetic variant associated with ASD. Researchers, recruited 38 children who were diagnosed with ASD (29 boys and nine girls) and a control group of 31 healthy children (23 boys and eight girls) between the ages of five and 12. Blood and urine samples were taken from the children for analysis. The team discovered that there were chemical differences between the two groups. The changes in multiple compounds were combined together using artificial intelligence algorithms techniques to develop a mathematical equation or "algorithm" to distinguish between ASD and healthy controls. The outcome was a diagnostic test better than any method currently available.

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9 Signs of ADHD That Are Different In Girls than In Boys

In the past, ADHD was perceived as naughty and wild behavior in boys, but it is now known that the behavior characteristic of such disorders has a biological basis and is not the result of just childhood whims. Moreover, contrary to what was previously thought, according to a study published in 2014, girls have the same chances of developing ADHD as boys, but its symptoms are expressed differently.

 

As a result, it is difficult to diagnose women with ADHD, and many girls who live with these disorders feel confused and insecure about what to do with themselves. In order for you to know if there is any reason to suspect ADHD in your daughters, it is important that you recognize the 9 symptoms that are expressed differently in them then in boys.

1. Distracted behavior

One of the revealing signs of attention deficit disorder is the inability to focus on tasks, speech, and other daily activities. This sign is common for both boys and girls, but girls find it harder to focus on what is in front of them and concentrate on what they need to do. This increased distraction makes them daydream, become introverted, and have difficulty maintaining concentration during school.

2. Impulsivity is reduced

"ADHD children tend to behave impulsively, meaning they act without thinking about the results," says an ADHD specialist. "In contrast, girls with ADHD often do not exhibit such behavior and do not behave in an uncalculated way, which often makes it difficult to know that they are indeed dealing with this problem.

3. Minor disturbances in school

Boys, especially in elementary and middle school, who cope with ADHD tend to stand out in class in terms of their presence and character. On the other hand, girls with disorders of this kind behave in the opposite way and are shy, closed and do not express themselves in any way. This behavior, which is not usually associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is characteristic of ADHD- girls and their lack of participation in the classroom is a sign of such a disorder.

4. Decreased hyperactivity

One of the symptoms of ADHD is hyperactive behavior, i.e., difficulty sitting in one place for a while and wanting to move at all times. This is true for ADHD among boys, but girls are less likely to have this type of behavior. Therefore, other suspicious signs should alert your attention to the existence of ADHD in girls, as hyperactivity is not one of the telltale signs.

5. Feelings of shame and lack of self-confidence

Every parent wants his child to have self-confidence that will enable them to succeed in life and to conquer various life struggles, but some children find it difficult to do so. This is especially true with girls who cope with attention deficit disorders that make it difficult for them to concentrate and causes them to experience difficulties in school and in their personal life. As a result, girls with ADHD tend to blame themselves for the difficulties they experience, which causes them to lose their self-confidence and to be ashamed of themselves.

6. Feelings of isolation

Children with ADHD struggle to make friends, but girls have more social problems than boys. In today's society, although it is more modern and progressive than it used to be, girls are expected to absorb social clues and read situations as they are because of their supposed innate sensitivity, but girls who suffer from ADHD find this difficult. When they fail repeatedly to decode social cues and codes, these girls develop social problems and often become isolated or have very few friends.

7. Hypersensitivity

Many children with ADHD struggle with regulating and controlling their emotions, and so, intense feelings and disorders of this kind go hand in hand. From this common point between boys and girls with ADHD, girls experience hypersensitivity as a result of ADHD, which causes them to have increased feelings in a myriad of areas. The difficulty of emotional regulation causes them to be overwhelmed by feelings that can erupt in unexpected moments and interfere in different situations.

8. Constant talking

According to a Dr., girls with ADHD tend to be chatty because they can’t recognize the social cues that tell them to stop talking and give others a chance to weigh in. In addition to talking incessantly, girls with attention deficit disorder also tend to interject while others speak, and are therefore perceived as deviant or even insolent when the existence of their disorder is unknown.

9. Sense of depression and anxiety

Girls with ADHD are at an increased risk of depression and anxiety, especially in adolescence, so it is important to be alert to this condition. In addition, young girls and adolescents with ADHD tend to be perfectionists and are generally high achievers usually adopting a habit of over-concentration, which ultimately creates so much stress that makes it difficult for them to get through their day peacefully.

Conclusion: 
Diagnosing ADHD in girls can be more challenging than boys because this problem is expressed in different ways. If you notice that your daughters are showing some or all of the signs above, you may want to seek expert advice to see if they have ADHD and if so, help them cope with the challenges they face more easily.

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HOW SAFE IS SINDOOR?

Indian cultures and traditions have used sindoor or vermilion – a red coloured powder – since time immemorial.

Be it weddings, festivals or religious rituals – sindoor is always a part of occasions. But is it safe?

A study conducted by a team of researchers have negated the safety of the product after examining samples , saying that has unsafe levels of lead.

As per the research, lead is a highly toxic poison associated with lower IQ, behavioural problems and growth delays in children who often are exposed hand to mouth.

Sindoor, also called vermilion, is used by women to place a bindi, or red dot, cosmetically on their foreheads. Married women also put it in their hair and it is used by men and children for religious purposes.

In a study , the researchers reported that that 83 percent of the samples collected  had at least 1.0 microgram of lead per gram of cosmetic powder.

About one-third of the samples exceeded the 20 microgram of lead per gram of cosmetic powder limit imposed by the government.

"There is no safe level of lead," said co-author of the study .

"That's why we believe sindoor powder shouldn't be sold or brought into the country unless it is lead free," the author said.

Although other cosmetics such as kajal and tiro, eye products used in some countries, have been banned  because of elevated lead content, the agency only issued a general warning about sindoor after testing by the  Department of Health a decade ago discovered a high lead content in one brand.

The researchers said at a minimum there is a need to monitor sindoor lead levels and make the public aware of the potential hazards.

"We should be screening children from the south Asian community to make sure they do not have elevated levels of lead in their blood, before we discover more dead brain cells," a Professor  said.
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