|
|
Autism and Electromagnetic Radiation |
A presentation from parents of children with ASD |
What is EMR? Electro-Magnetic Radiation is a form of energy that travels in waves. From the 1950s, the world underwent an electromagnetic revolution and many frequencies were used for radio & TV broadcasting, radar, mobile phones and a variety of wireless devices that work on microwave technology. After decades of use, scientists have reported that this form of energy has unwanted side effects. The Council of Europe has concluded that immediate action is required to protect children from the potential harmful effects of these technologies under the 'precautionary principle' of 'Do no harm'! Wireless devices in the home constantly emit microwave radiation resulting in the same level inside the home as from a phone mast antenna outside the home. EMR classified as carcinogen by the World Health Organisation What are the effects on all children and children with Autism? There are 1000’s of independent scientific studies from around the world showing adverse health effects at exposure below these guidelines (Dr Magda Havas 2010). A child's brain is essentially a blank canvas, going through an intense period of learning to become aware of sensory inputs. Neurons in the brain make countless new connections and learnt skills are stored. EMR exposure can cause the production of too many spurious connections and the breakdown of intercellular communication. Random connections will not be pruned even though they may not make sense. Defective hardwiring is descriptive of children on the Autistic spectrum (Huttenlocher & Dbholkar 1997, Hill & Firth 2003). The incidence of Autism has grown in the last 15 years, hand in hand with this new technology. One of the only known studies on radiation effects directly on children was done in Latvia and found that children living in front of a mobile phone antenna had less developed memory and attention, their reaction time was slower and their neuromuscular apparatus endurance was decreased (A. Kolodynski and V. Kolodynska 1999). SYMPTOMS CELL MEMBRANES Phospholipids which make up cell membranes are low in autistic patients (Bruce Vickery 2007). When EMR waves resonate with cell membrane vibration receptors, they trigger a protective and sympathetic response from the cells, which is chronic and causes a biological cascade of effects at cellular levels that includes a decrease in cell membrane permeability leading to cellular energy depletion, intra-cellular build up of free radicals and cellular metabolic inefficiencies. CALCIUM LEAKAGE Adey 1981 & Blackman 1979 showed that weak radiation used by microwaves is very dangerous at it releases calcium ions from the cell membranes thus weakening them so they are more likely to tear and develop holes. Positive ions such as calcium, because of their double charge, are more easily removed from the negatively charged membrane by weak alternating fields (Steck et al. 1970, Lew et al. 1998, Ha 2001). Some of the consequences of leaky cell membrane are Cardiac Arrhythmia, effects on skin, opening of the blood brain barrier, allergies, nervous tissue damage. SENSORY ISSUES Dr. Andrew Goldsworthy (2009 Imperial College) has researched sensory issues experienced by children with autism linked to defective sensory cell membranes The membranes fail to 'deliberately' leak ions that short circuit the natural electrical potentials across them, triggering the sending of nerve impulses to the brain. Sensory messages are confused, giving false feelings of heat, touch, pressure, crawling sensations, pins & needles, pain, tinnitus and balance control (Eltiti et al 2007) DNA DAMAGE When intercellular communication is disrupted cells are unable to work together as tissue, organ and organ systems. As waste products become trapped inside cells, free radical damage increases and interferes with DNA repair and genetic transcription, leading to the formation of abnormal genetic cell forms. When the burden becomes intolerable to the cell, the process of apoptosis or programmed cell death facilitates the cloning of the new abnormal genetic cell proliferation and consequent tumour development. Double strand DNA breaks have been reported on exposure to EMR by Prof Lai in 1995-96 and Europe wide REFLEX project, 2004. Exposed parents pass on corrupted DNA to the next generation. DETOXIFICATION-HEAVY METALS Autism is believed to be associated with heavy metal toxicity, sustained through mercury containing vaccines. Heavy metals in the brain will act as an antenna receptor in an EMR environment, exacerbating the toxic effects of heavy metals by closing down cell membranes & trapping metals within cells. (Mariea & Carlo, Australasian Journal of Clinical Environmental Medicine, Nov 2007.) Dr Carlo’s pilot study showed that chelation of heavy metals slowed in an EMR environment and accelerated in an EMR free environment. BLOOD BRAIN BARRIER is a layer of tissue between the blood system and the brain protecting it from toxic substances. EMR exposure makes this layer leak so toxins can more easily enter the brain and cause brain damage. Persson et al. (1997) reported an increase in the permeability of the blood-brain barrier in exposed mice as did Salford in 2003 with rats. MELATONIN deficiencies will disrupt sleep. Various lab studies have found melatonin production suppressed under exposure to microwaves, (Burch 2002 & Jarupat 2003). The most significant experiment on humans living in the vicinity of phone masts by Vogt (2004) found blood samples showing melatonin levels decreased by up to 87% after only 6 months exposure. NEUROTRANSMITTERS Radiation is one of the toxins inducing neurotransmitter imbalances disturbing their regulation. The result is that cell communication fails. (Richard Holding, May 2011) HISTAMINE in the brain acts as a neurotransmitter, an important mediator in inflammatory responses & allergic reactions. Prof Olle Johansson (2007) found that EMR causes an increase in the release of histamine from mast cells in the skin, by stimulation from antibody IgE which is interpreting the radiation as an allergen and could be the cause of asthma and related allergies. Dr John Holt (2009) has found the same when working with microwaves (to irradiate cancer cells.) SEROTONIN EMR has a dose-response effect of increasing serotonin (many children on the spectrum have high serotonin) & reducing melatonin levels by pineal gland (Wang 1989) and can decrease appetite and cause depression. 95% of serotonin is derived from the gut and issues with gut dysfunction in children with autism is well documented (Natasha Campbell- McBride 2005). ACETYCHOLINE Radiation is one of the most common toxins inducing this neurotransmitter to change together with mercury, pesticidesa and MMR vaccines just to name a few. This starts the malfunction and oscillations making this neurotransmitter become too rapid or too sluggish the symptoms will be persistent diarrhoea or constipation. Other important neurotransmitters which get their regulation disturbed by EMR are Noradrenalin, Dopamin, GABA, Glycine, Glutamate. WHAT CAN YOU DO? For more information please contact us via this email. There is more research that can be found from various web sites in the UK such as: First published in June 2011 Click here for more articles on the causes of autism Click here for more articles on infant and child health
|
