There's evidence -- but not proof -- of a link between a commonly used household pesticide and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and young teens, according to a new study.
Specifically, researchers found an association between exposure to pyrethroid pesticides and ADHD, as well as ADHD symptoms such as hyperactivity and impulsivity.
The link between the pesticides and ADHD was stronger in boys than in girls, according to the findings published online in the journal Environmental Health.
However, researchers only found an association between pesticides and ADHD. The study did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.
Pyrethroid pesticides -- considered safer than organophosphate pesticides -- are the most widely used pesticides for home and public health pest control, and their use in agriculture is increasing, according to the researchers.
"Given the growing use of pyrethroid pesticides and the perception that they may represent a safe alternative, our findings may be of considerable public health importance," study corresponding author Dr. Tanya Froehlich, a developmental pediatrician at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, said in a hospital news release.
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2 comments:
Aren't there pyrethrins in flea control products? That's probably why some animals act weird after they take the pill or have the stuff put on their neck.
Pyrethroids are made from chrysanthemum petals; proof that anything in nature will kill you if you are exposed to enough of it. Even water, sugar, salt and chocolate can be lethal in high enough doses.
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