Mobile batteries linked to autism
posted Jul 24th 2006 4:33AM
With cellphones being connected (or not) to things like cancer, ear tumors, and other sorts of disturbing illnesses, it's not surprising to find yet another issue linked to the seemingly debilitating devices. Dr. Richard Lathe, a molecular biologist in the UK, has proposed that the increasing autism rate in Europe is probably linked to old cell phone batteries not being properly disposed of. Studies he participated in point to an environmental factor causing the spike in autism, which he correlates to heavy metals that seep from old batteries. Autistic children have shown a difficulty in "ridding their bodies of toxic heavy metals" and over half of the autistic subjects he tested had substantially high amounts in their bodies. A similar study in Texas found a link between heightened mercury in the environment and autism, which Lathe feels further substantiates his findings. So are we all doomed to malfunction if we continue to use our mobile? It's unlikely (we hope), and Dr. Lathe even points out some good news by stating that "Chelation therapy, which removes the metals, can significantly improve behavior in autistic children." So before you flip your panic switch, there's probably not too much to worry over here, and if history continues to repeat itself you'll probably find a more soothing report in the near future.
I think they'd be hard pressed to estabilish a hard fast link to these cell phone batteries. Right now it seems theoretical. The timeline doesn't match either. It takes decades for the type of mercury exposure that the Texas study illustrated and for mobile batteries, we're looking at a max of 10 years of 'careless disposal.' Not enought time.
which is the power capacity of battery ? Tested already ? If yes, on what devices ?
Yet these same scientists maintain that mercury in kids vaccination shots has no impact on children getting autism. I guess any scapegoat other than the pharmaceutical companies will do.
If you know there's a problem with improper disposal, why wait for a study to show cause? Heavy metals in the environment are bad.
The handset makers should all be availing themselves of programs like those offered by the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation, which (duh) recycles old batteries - http://www.rbrc.org/call2recycle/index.html
To their credit Motorola, NEC, Audiovox, LG, Panasonic and Sony already belong, and here are retail partners where you can drop off old batteries for recycling:
National Retail Participants -USA:
* Alltel
* Batteries Plus
* Best Buy
* Black & Decker
* Cingular Wireless
* Circuit City
* The Home Depot
* Lowe's
* Milwaukee Electric Tool
* Office Depot
* Porter Cable ServiceCtrs.
* RadioShack
* Remington Product Co.
* Sears/Orchard Supply
* Staples
* Target
* US Cellular
* Verizon Wireless
It's a great program, not well publicised.
we've always known that electronics (especially batteries) are toxic to the environment and people- what with cell phone radiation causing brain tumors and lead-loaded chips in our computers and acid batteries polluting the environment. what can i say besides "duh"? this is like the gas companies of the early 1900s saying that ethanol additives for gas (to reduce engine knock) are bad for the environment while selling toxic gas loaded with lead that killed an unknown mass of organisms; it's a desperate attempt by scientists to pass blame. however, this one holds merit.
Chelation therapy for the treatment of autistic children would appear to be psuedo-science, with no serious medical justification.
The only proven use of chelation therapy is for the treatment of _acute_ heavy metal poisoning, revealed by blood tests. The claim, 'Autistic children have shown a difficulty in "ridding their bodies of toxic heavy metals"' is remarkable - there is no evidence that autistic children have an excess of toxic heavy medals at all.
Dr. Lathe's theories appear to have very little basis in serious scientific research, but rather are merely suppositions based on dubious correlations. That's just my opinion though.
http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/chelation.html
http://www.quackwatch.org/03HealthPromotion/immu/thimerosal.html
I'd be wary of these "associations". Please refer to this post on Logic 101 :
http://medicine.com.my/wp/?p=781
:P
I have two questions:
How long has autism been around?
How old are old cellphone batteries?
....scratches head......