Epilepsy, Seizures, and Toxicity: Why Are Childhood Seizures Increasing

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition characterised by recurrent, unprovoked seizures that start in the brain.

One single seizure or fit does not necessarily indicate Epilepsy, and a seizure can be caused by many factors.

Some types of seizures are more common in childhood, such as absence seizures which can be very brief —blink and you might miss it. It looks as though a child is ‘spaced out’, ‘daydreaming’ or not paying attention.

Learn how to help spot signs of seizures, so that you can get early treatment that may reduce the risk of lasting brain injury.

Symptoms of Seizures

Seizures is an abnormal, uncontrolled electrical discharge in the brain altering function or behavior. It is the most common neurological condition in children. Seizures can occur spontaneously or be triggered by things such as stress, excitement, boredom and tiredness. Anti-epileptic drugs can be used to control seizures and establishing good sleep patterns, as well as maintaining a healthy diet have also been shown to help manage the condition.

The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) classifies seizures based on the type of onset or where they originate in the brain.

Symptoms of seizures are widely variable but include stiffening (tonic) or rhythmic twitching (clonic) of one or more extremities or the face, staring spells, lip smacking or other non-purposeful movements or distinct periods of changes in behavior such as staring or sudden headache. In children on the autism spectrum, a sudden loss of languageskills or behavioral regression may be caused by epileptic disruption of organized brain activity that may not always show up clinically.

Between the time of the brain injury and the onset of seizures, called epileptogenesis, is a "silent" period because this brain abnormality cannot be detected by current neurological exams or electroencephalography (EEG). Before the actual observed seizure are brief, small electrical microbursts, or microseizures, occur before the onset of clinical recurrent seizures.

four main categories of seizures include:

• Generalized Seizures – affect entire brain
• Partial Seizures – affect part of the brain
• Non-Epileptic Seizures – not caused by epilepsy, but other things such as diabetes, fever, etc

Vaccines can cause fever, and fever in young children can lead to febrile seizures; these facts are not new. Febrile seizures are the most common seizure disorder of childhood and occur in ∼5% of all children, usually those younger than 24 months.
• Status Epilepticus – a seizure that lasts more than 5 minutes

Aside from neurosurgery, which benefits only a small population of Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) patients, there are no other effective treatments or preventive strategies.

Environmental triggers of epilepsy

Seizures are often unpredictable, but triggers can induce them, such as stress and environmental toxins. Being aware of potential seizure triggers helps avodid another occurance.

Anything that disturbs the normal pattern of the brain can trigger epilepsy. Trauma, illness, brain damage, abnormal development, food intolerances, and heavy metal toxicity can all be factors with epileptic patients. It is estimated that over 75% of patients with epilepsy do not know what is causing their seizure activity.

People with epilepsy are able to reduce the frequency of their seizure activity through dietary modifications and removing heavy metals from the body.

Certain food intolerances such as gluten (wheat, barley, rye, etc) casein (dairy), corn, or soy can be a major “triggers” for patients with epilepsy.

Heavy metal toxicity

Once of the most common ways that we experience heavy metal toxicity is through our teeth. Mercury fillings, gold crowns, and other metals that are placed in our mouth have the ability to “leak” into our bodies and accumulate in various organs, including the brain.

The brain and the Bazan effect

the brain consumes 20% of body oxygen and the central nervous system (CNS) is especially vulnerable to oxidative stress. Iron overexposure causes oxidative stress and ROS, which upregulate the c-fos gene.

Dr. Bazan is a neuroscientist who’s work influenced me while I was a resident at LSU and long before I had a quantum perspective.  Dr Jack Kruse shares extensively about his work; he was the first person who was able to link clinical diseases to the RPE in the retina by discovering what’s now called “the Bazan effect”. He was initially studying what effect seizures and lack of blood flow had on the CNS.  He found when the brain is stressed for any reason, neurons release two types of essential fatty acids, namely omega 6 and omega 3.  There names are arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexonic acid (DHA).  These are essential FFA’s because the body has a poor capacity to make them endogenously.

Following this discovery, when they systemically administered Neuroprotectin D-1 (NPD1), they discovered that NPD1 regulated these bursts of brain electrical activity. So it not only reduced the aberrant brain cell signaling leading to severe generalized seizures, but also the spontaneous recurrent seizures. (Neuroprotectin D-1, discovered in the Bazan lab, is derived from docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an essential omega 3 fatty acid found in fish oil.)

Resources

1. Hironishi M., Ueyama E., Senba E. Systematic expression of immediate early genes and intensive astrocyte activation induced by intrastriatal ferrous iron injection. Brain Res. 1999;828:145–153. doi: 10.1016/S0006-8993(99)01356-6. doi.org/ [PubMed] [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]

What You Should Know about Wireless Radiation: Health Impacts on Babies and Children

Wireless radiation is just one form of electromagnetic fields (or EMFs).

These are invisible waves of energy emitted by electronic devices like WiFi routers, cell phones, and baby monitors.

You can’t see them, but these EMFs are how your iPad and all mobile devices connects to the cell tower.

You cannot sense these as with other pollution such as smog, noise pollution, but your body is definitely sensitive to these fields.

Children are uniquely vulnerable to wireless radiation.

Children are more vulnerable to wireless radiation and cell phone radiation because they have smaller heads, they have thinner skulls, and they have developing brains. Research shows that children absorb higher levels of wireless radiation.

Wherever you are using your wireless device, this radiation is being absorbed into your body, quite intensely, whenever it’s nearby. So, if it’s in your head, you’re going to get high levels of absorption of the non-ionizing radiation into your head and brain. If it’s near the abdomen and you’re pregnant, your body will receive that radiation as will your developing baby.

Wireless radiation is linked to a wide range of symptoms.

Before it even becomes an acute disease, Some studies of people living near cell towers have also confirmed an array of health complaints, including dizziness, nausea, headaches, tinnitus and insomnia, from people identified as having "electromagnetic hypersensitivity."

Wireless radiation is considered a carcinogen.

In 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, an arm of the World Health Organization, cited troubling but uncertain evidence in classifying wireless radiation as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”

In 2018, a study by the federal government that was nearly two decades in the making found “clear evidence” that cellphone radiation caused cancer in lab animals. A major study in Italy produced similar results.

The main reason for this new classification was its linked to gliomas.

Cellphone radiation was classified a “possible carcinogen” in 2011 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, a conclusion based on human epidemiological studies that found an increased risk of glioma, a malignant brain cancer, associated with cellphone use.

Gliomas are the most common CNS tumors in children and adolescents; it is usually a fast-growing cancer that affects your child's brain or spinal cord.

Leukaemia and brain cancer are BOTH among the top five most common childhood cancers in most countries that track such statistics, from Singapore, Malaysia in the tropics to the UK, across Europe.

In fact, leukaemia and brain cancer account for more than half of all childhood cancers. Check out the population statistics in countries such as the UK, Germany, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia. By contrast, these cancers are rare in adults.

While these childhood cancers are rare and have high overall survival, it remains the first cause of death from

disease in children and adolescents. Can you imagine what the leading factor to such cancers are?

They’ve been concerned for a long time.

“They” being the many official institutions. For example, before the WHO’s 2011 official declaration, between 2008 and 2011, the European Union Parliament and the Council of Europe passed multiple resolutions against the “early, ill-considered, and prolonged use of mobiles and other devices emitting microwaves.”

The European parliaments’ advice for an exposure level was called A.L.A.R.A. (as low as reasonably achievable). (How low is still up to you to achieve as there are no standard regulations.)

Many medical associations in North America and Europe have also issued public statements to warn about the serious health risks associated with using wireless devices. Among them, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine wrote:

Wireless radiation is linked to autism and spectrum disorders.

A majority of studies that have looked at something called oxidative stress have found an effect. Now oxidative stress can lead to inflammation and more inflammation can lead to a lot of other health implications.

Dr. Martha Herbert documented in her publications, looking at autism and ADHD, there is inflammation in the brain. With electromagnetic fields, there are studies showing inflammation as well.

Many clinicians, doctors, and health professionals have found reducing electromagnetic fields can help with kids who have behavioral problems or have autism and other health issues. It’s been a way to impact or reduce electromagnetic fields that can support the child’s resilience.

Wireless radiation can cause behavioural problems in children.

If you are pregnant and exposed to cellphone radiation, your baby could be born susceptible to behavioural issues. A Yale study in 2012 found hyperactivity and reduced memory in mice exposed to cellphone radiation in the womb, consistent with human epidemiological research showing a rise in behavioral disorders among children who were exposed to cellphones in the womb.

The researchers exposed the pregnant mice to radiation from a muted and silenced cell phone positioned above the cage and placed on an active phone call for the duration of the trial. A control group of mice was kept under the same conditions but with the phone deactivated (such as being on “airplane mode”).

After the mice were born, researchers conducted psychological and behavioral tests, as well as measured their brain electrical activity.

“We have shown that behavioral problems in mice that resemble ADHD are caused by cell phone exposure in the womb. The evidence is really, really strong now that there is a causal relationship between cellphone radiation exposure and behavior issues in children. — Dr. Hugh Taylor, the author of the mouse study and chair of the obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences department at the Yale School of Medicine”

Concerned scientists are advocating for education around possible harms of wireless tech and how it should be used with care around children.

The BabySafe Project was conceived jointly by Dr. Devra Davis of Environmental Health Trust and Patti and Doug Wood of Grassroots Environmental Education after attending a conference in Stonington, Connecticut — it was where Dr. Hugh Taylor of Yale School of Medicine presented the results of his important study on fetal exposures to cell phone radiation. https://www.babysafeproject.org/science

Your child may already be suffering from EMF

A case in Canada saw three young children with an environmental intolerance, medically known as electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS). They regularly suffered with symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, concentration and memory problems, anxiety, abdominal pain, nosebleeds, ringing in the ears, and more. These symptoms were otherwise unexplainable.

In May of 2012, to accommodate children with EHS and to provide choice for parents who want to heed health warnings to reduce exposure for children who are most vulnerable, the BC Confederation of Parent Advisory Councils (BCCPAC) called for a moratorium on Wi-Fi in schools.

EMFs health impacts begin pre-conception.

Higher levels of exposure could reduce sperm quality in men and increase miscarriage risk in women. The two miscarriage studies, conducted by Kaiser Permanente and funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, are particularly interesting because they're some of the only ones to date that actually measured EMF exposure in subjects using a magnetic field monitoring device.

"We took [913 pregnant women] and asked them to wear the monitor for the duration of their pregnancy. Studies right now aren't using the meters because most of them are focusing on cancer. Cancer can take 20 years to develop—you can't measure your exposure from 20 years ago, so in those cases, you just ask how much the person uses their cell phone." — reproductive epidemiologist De-Kun Li, MD, PhD, the principle investigator on both studies (one published in 2002, one published in 2017).

Any safety regulations is out of date.

Any safety data is so out of date, it is not even funny.

No standards even consider the impact to a pregnant woman, as that research didn’t exist 25 years ago.

For example, the US Federal Communications Commission, or FCC, based on an adult male and they don’t even consider a child’s developing brain. They last adjusted its woefully outdated health standards for wireless radiation a quarter-century ago, well before wireless devices became ubiquitous, heavily used appliances synonymous with modern life.

5G wireless radiation is a new beast.

Until now, most of us use the second-, third-, and fourth-generation cell phones (2G, 3G, 4G) that emit radiofrequency in the frequency range of 0.7-2.7 GHz.

Fifth-generation (5G) cell phones are anticipated to use the frequency spectrum up to 80 GHz.

That’s an astounding leap!

I hope this compilation of research and studies will help you make a more informed decision about Wifi and its use in your family.

Resources & recommendations

• https://www.babysafeproject.org/science

• Read the study of real-world exposure to non-ionizing radiation from magnetic fields in pregnant women found a significantly higher rate of miscarriage (December 13, 2017)

• Your quick guide to reducing exposure at home

• Is your child already experiencing exposure to EMFs? Check out 12 common symptoms that you may not know about.

• Get in touch for a free discovery call on how to kick wireless radiation exposure out of your house.

Five Ways Artificial Blue Light Is Not Your Friend

What is blue light?

Blue light is a high-energy visible light with a wave length between 400 and 450 nanometers (nm).

From a natural source, such as the Sun, the shorter, high energy blue wavelengths collide with the air molecules causing blue light to scatter. This is what makes the sky look blue.

Artificial blue light comes from light-emitting diodes (LEDs), often used in energy-efficient light bulbs, as well as the lighting in our electronics, laptops, phones, TVs, tablets – anything powered by electricity likely has blue light.

Artificial blue light is quite different from blue light received from a natural source (like the Sun) as part of a balanced light spectrum. Although an LED bulb and an incandescent lamp might both be rated at the same brightness, the light energy from the LED might come from a source the size of the head of a pin compared to the significantly larger surface of the incandescent source. Looking directly at the point of the LED is dangerous for the very same reason it is unwise to look directly at the sun in the sky.

Sources of Blue Light Exposure

Most of us are exposed to much more blue light that we realize. Sources include:

• Sunlight (the biggest source)

• Electronics like TVs, phones, tablets and computers

• Light bulbs and other sources of artificial lighting: fluorescent light, compact fluorescent light bulbs and LED light (LED bulbs are especially harmful)

Blue light at night messes up your circadian rhythm

Research has demonstrated that nighttime light exposure suppresses the production of melatonin, the major hormone secreted by the pineal gland that controls sleep and wake cycles. 

Do you remember when nighttime lights were a cosy hue of amber and orange?

Until 1879 when Thomas Edison patented the electric lightbulb, artificial lighting didn’t exist and after sunset, people relied on candles, lanterns, and fires for light. Blue wavelengths of light that are absent in light sources like candles, lanterns, and fires.

Today’s new lighting tech in LEDs have almost nothing BUT blue wavelengths of light. In many countries, night street lights that were once orange-coloured emissions from older sodium lights are rapidly being replaced by white-coloured emissions produced by LEDs.

Local LED street lighting has dramatically reduced even nocturnal insect populations.

The lower your melatonin levels, the greater your risks of cancer.

Blue light at night ruins your sleep

30,000+ cells in the eye sense blue light and these cells signal the pineal gland to suppress the secretion of the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is necessary for sleep, and when it is suppressed at night, when it should be increasing, it literally affects yoru sleep quality.

Light at night is part of the reason so many people don’t get enough sleep,

blue light can cause immune issues

A study found a direct link between blue light exposure and an increased risk of breast cancer and prostate cancer. People exposed to high levels of outdoor blue light, like street lights, at night had a higher risk of developing breast cancer and prostate cancer, compared with those who were less exposed.

Blue light can cause diabetes

A Harvard study looked at the connection of blue light at night to diabetes and possibly obesity. The researchers put 10 people on a schedule that gradually shifted the timing of their circadian rhythms. Their blood sugar levels increased, throwing them into a prediabetic state, and levels of leptin, a hormone that leaves people feeling full after a meal, went down.

Quality light is life

The light you live in is directly related to your quality of life.

that light and sleep are two of the most under-used tools for improving health (and that improper management of both are two of the biggest reasons for many health problems)

References & Resources

1. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/14/increase-in-led-lighting-risks-harming-human-and-animal-health

2. Towns and cities reversing their decision on LEDs to mitigate the harmful impacts on health and ecology https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/mar/19/good-heavens-north-yorkshire-village-hawnby-switches-to-dark-sky-friendly-lighting

3. 10 ways to protect yourself from blue-light exposure and melatonin suppression

What are “Quats”? Preservatives that May Release Formaldehyde and Exacerbate Asthma

Washing your hands is at the top of the list when it comes to avoiding contagious illnesses and infections, but many still make the mistake of assuming you have to use antibacterial soap to get the job done right.

If you’re also using “anti-bacterials” to clean your home, routinely disinfecting your body and surroundings may actually cause more harm than good in the long run. Not only do they promote the development of drug-resistant bacteria, antibacterial compounds such as triclosan and quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs or "quats") have also been linked to a number of harmful health effects.

What are quats?

Quats, (quaternary ammonium compounds), are a type of ammonia-based disinfectant chemical used in cleaning products, laundry products, disinfecting wipes, dishwashing soap, hand soap, wood products, water purification (algaecides, for example), textile production, and in other household, agricultural, and industrial products.

Quats are registered as pesticides, like other common disinfectants, such as bleach.

Quats are chemicals that contain the quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) in their chemical makeup and can come under many names, such as “polyquaternium-11”.

They are used as preservatives, surfactants, germicides, and conditioning agents, and thus found in many products from hand sanitisers to hair mousse. They are a common active ingredient in cleaning supplies and disinfectants.

Biocides are antimicrobial chemicals. Their sole purpose is to kill unwanted or harmful living things such as plants (usually weeds), microbes, animals, viruses, fungi, etc.

Quats work by adhering to their target, then breaking down their structure, which destroys them. They also work as a preservative, a pesticide (diquat and paraquat), an anti-static compound, and a surfactant.

brief history on quats

Quats came to the market before the EPA (USA) began regulating chemicals, they were exempt from the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act. This means they were grandfathered in and can continue being used in consumer products without EPA safety testing.

Since then, they have been tested in numerous studies, and the results are showing more harm than we thought.

The research on quats

Like many synthetic preservatives, however, some quats can be toxic, causing irritation and allergic reactions in humans.

The Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics (USA) classifies quats as “asthmagens,” meaning they can trigger asthma attacks and cause new cases in asthma-free individuals.

Because they are so good at ‘sticking’ or adhering to surfaces and substrates, they also leave a residue that is potentially harmful to health and the environment.

Quaternary ammonia compounds, or quats, are disinfectants often added to cleaning supplies. Quats are asthmagens that have also been associated with reduced fertility and birth defects.

Quats are Everywhere

In the University of Massachusetts’ review, they write that of the disinfectants approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use during the COVID-19 pandemic, more than half are QAC-based.

fertility risks

Quats are one of two frequently used as disinfectants in cleaning products and antibacterial wipes, as anti-static agents in fabric softeners and dryer sheets, and as preservatives in personal care products undermined fertility in both male and female mice, according to a pivotal new study by researchers.[2]

Examples of products containing Quats include:

• All-purpose cleaners

• Adhesive bandages

• Bathroom cleaners

• Baby wipes

• Baby wash and shampoo

• Body wash

• Building materials

• Contact lens cleaner

• Cosmetics

• Deodorant

• Dish soap and detergent

• Disinfectant wipes

• Dryer sheets

• Fabric softener

• Fabric spray

• Feminine hygiene products

• Floor cleaner

• Hair color

• Hair spray

• Hair gel, and other styling products

• Hand soap

• Hand sanitizer

• Nasal sprays

• Kitchen cleaners

• Oven cleaners

• Fingerpaint

• Perfume

• Pet shampoos

• Sunscreen

• Shampoos

• Shaving cream

• Toothpaste and other oral care products

• Wound wash

Keeping a Tox Free Body and Environment

Quaternary ammonium compounds, also referred to as “QACs” or “quats,” contribute to antimicrobial resistance, pollute the environment and are linked to several health issues, including reproductive dysfunction.

If you use harsh chemicals inside your home, you’re only inviting toxins into your home. Instead, choose nontoxic and multiuse combinations to clean, deodorize and polish your home.

Resources

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890623815300319

2. Environmental Working Group, https://www.ewg.org/cleaners/substance_groups/61-Esterquats/

3. Check out this longer article on quats https://childrenshealthdefense.org/defender/clorox-disinfectant-wipes-reproductive-health-cola/

Do you have questions about the use of disinfectants and COVID-19? Sign up to get a free guide that addresses cleaning products, including disinfectants, quats, safer and effective options in keeping a clean home that is also safe for you and your loved ones.

Learn more about Avoiding Common Household Asthma Triggers here.

The Scary Truth about Heavy Metals in Your Home

From clearing space for a calm and clean home for baby, to breastfeeding, to baby’s first foods, we want to give our babies the very best environment in a home that we want to make both beautiful and cosy for family life.

That’s why it’s so shocking to know that many of the common household items can be toxic with the most egregious of all neurotoxins—heavy metals.

Many of us think that toxic heavy metals are only a problem of old homes or old products, but the truth is that toxic heavy metals are commonly used even in materials today. 

These elements are substances that can be toxic in very low concentrations.

Here are five common heavy metals that you may not know is in your home furnishings, decor, as well as common everyday items.

TOXIC HEAVY METAL SYMPTOMS & YOUR HEALTH

First, let’s get the brief on toxic heavy metals that we may not hear often about compared to more media-hogging headlines like PFAS and plastics.

You can experience heavy metal poisoning symptoms acutely or due to a chronic exposure and build up of toxic heavy metals.

Common SYMPTOMS of heavy metal poisoning

• Brain fog—having trouble focusing on things you were previously good at or having a poor memory.

• Fatigue—both acute and chronic, which also contributes to “brain fog.”

• Numbness, tingling, and paralysis in your arms and legs. Heavy metals affect the nervous system disorders.

• Chronic mental health problems. Including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.

Toxic metals disrupt the metabolic function in the body.  First, they can accumulate and build up within the body, which disrupts the function of vital organs and glands (such as the heart, brain, kidneys, bone or liver). 

The second way they disrupt is that they replace the vital nutritional minerals we have in our bodies, which in turn hinders their biological function.  (source)

Our bodies cannot usually detox heavy metals easily (hence the term “heavy”). Even if you’re being exposed at low levels over time, there can be high levels of heavy metal toxins in your body as your body just CANNOT get rid of it fast enough.

Heavy metal poisoning is insidious, because at low and chronic levels, you may not even notice your changes. In healthy people, the concentration of free metal ions is usually very low.

But now we know the implications of heavy metals crossing the blood-brain barrier, in severe neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and Huntington’s disease (HD), among others

Arsenic

Arsenic can cause various cancers and harms the developing brain and nervous system. In fact, one study found drinking water with arsenic at half the allowable limit still caused IQ loss.

Arsenic was most prevalent in these household items:

• Wallpaper. Arsenic was commonly used in the dyes for the fabric.

• Non-aniline free Leather.

• Vintage baby carriages. Arsenic was commonly used in the dyes for the fabric.

• Beauty products.

Cadmium

This toxin is linked with brain damage, learning disabilities, cancer, and kidney, bone, and heart damage. It can also cause various types of cancer, including breast, lung, prostate, nasopharynx, pancreas, and kidney cancers. What’s more, scientists now know that this damage happens even at levels previously deemed safe by the medical community. (source)

Cadmium was most commonly found at home in:

• Cigarette smoke. The tobacco plant takes up cadmium avidly from the environment.

• Metal work. These release micro particles into the air from work, such as plating, soldering, and welding.

• House paint as a colour stabiliser.

• PVC (polyvinyl chloride) flooring, and;

• PVC leather / faux leather / “leatherette” furniture. All PVC plastics are notorious for their extensive use of multiple hazardous heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, and tin as stabilizers.

• Contaminated water.

• Beauty products.

Lead

There is no safe level for lead; any amount of lead is toxic to humans, and especially babies. Lead exposure is linked with ADD, behavioral issues, and problems in school.

Lead is most commonly found:

• Paint, including those used for Stairs, railings, banisters, and porches. Most countries still do not regulate or ban the use of lead in paint.

• Older homes built before 1978 (in the USA).

• Renovation work dust. Repair works often involve sanding or scraping paint on the inside and outside of homes that spread lead dust throughout the home.

• Wood stain varnishes.

• Porcelain paint on sinks. Old barn style kitchen sinks with old peeling porcelain.

• Contaminated Soil, yards and playgrounds. Lead can chip from surrounding buildings and contaminate the area.

• Air pollution from leaded gasoline in cars.

• Artificial turf and playground surfaces made from shredded rubber. These artificial turf made of nylon or nylon/polyethylene blend fibers can contain lead.

• Toys. Especially older toys or if it made outside of the EU, where lead for toys is banned.

• Jewelry. Lead is added to make the product heavier, brighten colors, and stabilize or soften plastic.

• Plastics, such as plastic toys. Lead is used to soften plastic and to make it more flexible so that it can go back to its original shape.

• Brass faucets may contain lead.

• Antiques. Lead was pervasively used in the making of items such as Dishware, Painted tin panels, Lead crystal pieces, Ceramic items, Silverware. Jewelry.

• Scuba weights. Some people use these to hold down the filter lines in the family's swimming pool, and their children accidentally, and regularly, swallowing lead-contaminated water

Mercury

This well-established neurotoxin lowers IQ and is known to cause brain damage, disrupt development and learning, and may contribute to cancer. Mercury also damages the nervous system, kidneys, and digestive system. (source)

Mercury is most commonly found:

• Fluorescent lightbulbs. These include all linear, U-tube and circline fluorescent tubes, Bug zappers, tanning bulbs, Black lights, Germicidal bulbs, Cold-cathode fluorescent bulbs

• Mercury short-arc bulbs.

• Fever thermometers that contain metallic mercury.

• Novelty jewelry, such as a glass pendant that contains mercury.

• Dental metal amalgams. It is made up of approximately 40-50% mercury, 25% silver, and 25-35% blend of copper, zinc and tin.

• Injections and vaccines. These may contain ethylmercury-containing compounds and Thimerosal that readily cross the blood-brain barrier, and convert to highly toxic inorganic mercury-containing compounds. These have been found in studies to significantly and persistently bind to tissues in the brain, even in the absence of concurrent detectable blood mercury levels.

References

• Legacy and Emerging Plasticizers and Stabilizers in PVC Floorings and Implications for Recycling. Helene Wiesinger, Christophe Bleuler, Verena Christen, Philippe Favreau, Stefanie Hellweg, Miriam Langer, Roxane Pasquettaz, Andreas Schönborn, and Zhanyun Wang. Environmental Science & Technology 2024 58 (4), 1894-1907. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c04851. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.3c04851

• Check out this interesting article on how and why arsenic found its way into wallpaper, bread, and baby carriages in Victorian times. https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/10/the-era-when-poison-was-everywhere/503654/