Help With Autism

Now that we have fancy digital thermometers and our hats aren’t created with excess amounts of mercury, it’s easy to dismiss mercury poisoning as a thing of the past. But just because our risk has diminished doesn’t mean it has disappeared. Many of the foods we eat—particularly large fish and bottom dwelling sea creatures—are loaded with mercury.

This isn’t a problem for most people, but fetuses and young children are very susceptible to mercury poisoning. As such, it’s imperative to limit or eliminate the amount of seafood you eat while you are pregnant and breast-feeding. Some of the birth defects mercury poisoning causes include: neurological problems, muscular disorders, anti-social behavior, and some even think it contributes to autism.

When a woman is pregnant, there is a litany of prohibited tasks—from not smoking or drinking, to not taking sleeping on a waterbed or using an electric blanket. Some of these warnings are common sense while others are more obscure. One of these admonitions that always baffled me is that pregnant women are supposed to refrain from eating fish, especially sushi.

It turns out the reason fish can be dangerous is that many species have extremely high levels of mercury, particularly the large bottom feeders typically found in sushi. Several parents and physicians claim that children suffered birth defects mercury poisoning caused due to fish-laden diets. Unborn and infant children are the most susceptible to mercury poisoning, so it’s important to limit your exposure and intake of the heavy metal as much as possible during pregnancy.

One of the reasons that the prospect of mercury poisoning is so frightening is the fact that many of the mercury poisoning symptoms entail the disruption of basic mental faculties. Among the most troubling are mental disturbances, memory loss, and the impairment of aural and vocal capabilities. In addition, many people also experience difficulty walking and an extreme lack of coordination.

And while the psychological effects are considerable, there is a litany of other health concerns associated with over-exposure to mercury. Swelling and discoloration of the skin is common, as is excessive sweating and increased saliva production. Although it is easier to contract mercury poisoning in vitro or as a young child, mercury exposure is a concern for all.

By now we are all aware that there are inherent risks with exposure to mercury and other heavy metals. And while scientific evidence has proven the adverse effects of mercury poisoning and led to its removal from household products, few people know how mercury actually inflicts damage. Here is a brief overview of some of the serious health concerns that can arise as a result of mercury poisoning:

~Psychiatric Disturbances: this includes everything from shyness, depression and anxiety to OCD tendencies.

~Loss of Senses: speech, hearing and poor IQ scores are all common, as are motor disorders, sensitivities and involuntary movements.

~Cognition: signs of mental impediment, including comprehension difficulties and poor concentration and memory, are common.

~In addition to these effects, immune dysfunction, physical disturbances and unusual behavior are also typical.

In previous posts, we have expounded the various symptoms of mercury poisoning and investigated some of the main sources of the element. Of course, seafood—and large sea predators in particular—are now one of the primary contributors to our mercury intake. A recent test of the residents of Taiji, which was featured in the documentary ‘,’ shows that a diet rich in dolphin can significantly raise mercury levels.

Although the people of Taiji had higher levels of mercury compared to other Japanese people, there were no reported ill effects. The tests were conducted on hair samples from roughly one-third of the areas population. However, mercury poisoning tends to affect children and unborn fetuses, as it disrupts the development of the nervous system. In the coming year, researchers plan to conduct further research and monitor the possible affect of the high level of mercury in the community.

Since the toxic nature of mercury has been discovered, there has been a concerted effort to eradicate it from products that the public is commonly exposed to. However, mercury is still found in a variety of rocks and minerals. In this day and age, most of the mercury that we are exposed to comes through food such as fish. Mercury is most dangerous, however, when it is present in the blood stream.

Although mercury poisoning is a risk to us all, it is particularly detrimental to pregnant mothers and newborn children. When children are exposed to high levels of mercury in the womb or at an early age, it can damage major organs such as the brain, kidneys, heart and lungs, as well as the immune system. Today there are several rules and regulations in place to ensure that the public isn’t exposed to excessive levels of the element.

Before we knew the hazards of mercury, the element was found in a wide range of products that people used on a daily basis. Although it has been largely eradicated from our day-to-day lives, we are still inevitably exposed to mercury. The most common source of mercury for many people is seafood.

Even though our exposure to mercury pales in comparison to peak levels, mercury poisoning is still a concern. There is a litany of mercury poisoning symptoms, and if you experience them, it is advisable to seek out a qualified physician. Some of the most common include depression, anxiety, speech problems and cognitive impairments.

With all that is now known about genetics and heredity, we not only have to consider our own health, but also that of our offspring and future descendants. While abstaining from smoking cigarettes and fatty foods can prevent passing along certain traits, there are several genes, conditions and diseases that we bestow that are largely out of our control. To that end, there are several birth defects mercury poisoning can be the cause of.

Severe cases of mercury poisoning can lead to a disease known as Minamata. While people with the disease are more likely to pass on certain defects to their children, it is also possible that mercury poisoning can cause birth defects even when there are no signs in the parent. There are several documented cases where children were born with severe birth defects that are believed to be linked to mercury poisoning, despite the parents showing no symptoms themselves.

With the release of a new Alice in Wonderland movie and Johnny Depp cast as the iconic Mad Hatter, the characters from Lewis Carroll’s classic novel are once again at the forefront of popular culture. Over the years, there has been much debate as to the nature of the Mad Hatter, but an article I read recently shed some light on the topic. Before its adverse effects were known, hatters used to use mercury when curing materials for their products.

This exposure to mercury, it is expected, led many hatters to actually go insane and is probably the origin of the term “as mad as a hatter.” Some of the effects of mercury poisoning include mood swings, schizoid tendencies, irrational fears and poor concentration. Many people hypothesize that Carroll’s personal hatter may have suffered from the effects of mercury poisoning and spawned the character.

By now you are probably well aware of the dangers inherent from exposure to mercury and other heavy metals. While we all get some degree of exposure in our everyday lives, too much can cause serious health consequences. Although all people are at risk to mercury poisoning through excessive exposure, children are more likely to fall victim to various heavy metal poisoning.

Some of the most common mercury poisoning symptoms include: psychiatric disturbances, learning impairments and sensory abnormalities. These symptoms are quite similar to those of autism, which has suggested causation between mercury poisoning and the disease. Research shows that in utero exposure to mercury may cause autism, but as of yet, there is no evidence to suggest that post natal exposure leads to the disease.