{"id":75372,"date":"2014-12-19T08:55:17","date_gmt":"2014-12-19T08:55:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/4cd.e16.myftpupload.com\/?p=75372"},"modified":"2014-12-19T08:55:17","modified_gmt":"2014-12-19T08:55:17","slug":"autism-link-air-pollution-raised","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2014\/12\/autism-link-air-pollution-raised\/","title":{"rendered":"Autism link to air pollution raised"},"content":{"rendered":"
A link between autism and air pollution exposure during pregnancy has been suggested by scientists.<\/p>\n
The Harvard School of Public Health team said high levels of pollution had been linked to a doubling of autism in their study of 1,767 children.<\/p>\n
They said tiny particulate matter, which can pass from the lungs to the bloodstream, may be to blame.<\/p>\n
Experts said pregnant women should minimise their exposure, although the link had still to be proven.<\/p>\n
Air pollution is definitely damaging. The World Health Organization estimates it causes 3.7 million deaths each year.<\/p>\n
The study, published in Environmental Health Perspectives, investigated any possible link with autism.<\/p>\n
Pollutants<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n It analysed 245 children with autism and 1,522 without.<\/p>\n By looking at estimated pollution exposure during pregnancy, based on the mother’s home address, the scientists concluded high levels of pollution were more common in children with autism.<\/p>\n The strongest link was with fine particulate matter – invisible specks of mineral dust, carbon and other chemicals – that enter the bloodstream and cause damage throughout the body.<\/p>\n