Are you scared yet? If you’re thinking of having children, you should be VERY concerned that the autism rate has gone from:
1 in 10,000 children in 1980, to
1 in 150 children in 2002, to
1 in 88 children in 2012, to
1 in 68 children in 2014.
That’s almost TWO PERCENT of the pediatric population!
We’re not buying that this is due to better diagnosis. Ask any teacher who’s been around for over 20 years, and he or she will tell you that, yes, children today have a far greater number of health, developmental, learning and behavioral issues than children did 20 years ago. We believe this is a profound epidemic affecting today’s children.
It’s Not Just an Autism Epidemic
We know that there isn’t just an epidemic of autism. There are also epidemics of PDD-NOS, Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD, developmental delays, mitochondrial dysfunction, asthma, allergies, autoimmune diseases and neurological, behavioral, digestive disorders.
When will you wake up and realize that over 50% of children have some kind of chronic illness? This is NOT NORMAL! Just because something is common does not mean that it is normal.
Don’t believe us?
Take a look at these soft signs and see if you recognize any of these symptoms of a compromised immune system in your children or children you know.
Children with symptoms such as chronic ear infections, red cheeks after eating, distended bellies and acid reflux are at a much higher risk of developing more profound disorders such as autism, learning disabilities, ADHD, speech delays and more.
What’s Causing These Epidemics?
The epidemic of chronic childhood illness in America is the product of “a perfect storm” of environmental factors including:
- The overuse of medications (especially antibiotics)
- Poor diet and nutrition
- Lifestyle factors such as excessive hygiene, indoor sedentary lifestyles, modern birthing and infant feeding practices
- Continuous exposure to a panoply of environmental toxins
Together (or in varied combinations), these environmental factors can initiate a vicious cycle of biological dysfunctions in our children’s bodies. These underlying biological dysfunctions are what cause the symptoms that we then classify as “chronic illnesses”, such as autism, ADHD, allergies, asthma, diabetes, and many others.
Kids Can Get Better
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by these statistics, particularly when most organizations and health organizations are looking at genetic causes of these epidemics rather than the causes we listed above.
The good news is that kids can get better. You will have to work hard for it, it is not guaranteed, but it is possible, which is why we’re sponsoring Documenting Hope Project. These kids are the canaries in the coalmines, and we need to listen to what they’re telling us.
About Beth Lambert
Beth Lambert is a former healthcare consultant and teacher. As a consultant, she worked with pharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostic and other health care companies to evaluate industry trends.
She is the author of A Compromised Generation: The Epidemic of Chronic Illness in America’s Children (Sentient Publications, 2010). She is also a co-author of Documenting Hope's Brain Under Attack: A Resource for Parents and Caregivers of Children with PANS, PANDAS, and Autoimmune Encephalitis. She is a co-author of Reversal of Autism Symptoms among Dizygotic Twins through a Personalized Lifestyle and Environmental Modification Approach: A Case Report and Review of the Literature, J. Pers. Med. 2024, 14(6), 641.
In 2009, Beth founded Documenting Hope and currently serves as Executive Director. Beth attended Oxford University, graduated from Williams College and holds a Masters Degree in American Studies from Fairfield University.
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