CHILDHOOD DISEASES: WORDS WITHOUT ACTIONS

How often do we hear statements like:

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“I want my child to have a better life than I had growing up.”

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OR

“Our children are our future.”

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We’d like to believe our heartfelt sentiments are more than just words, but do our ACTIONS reflect these emotions?

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TYPE 1 AND TYPE 2 CHILDHOOD DIABETES

We already know the sedentary lifestyle our children live and the poor nutritional choices they’re provided in school and at home (to a large extent) are MAJOR factors contributing to the escalating rate of Type 2 Diabetes they face. Yet we still verbally express:

“I want my child to have a better life than I had growing up.”

We already know Type 1 Diabetes in children (a form of diabetes classified as an autoimmune disease) is growing at a rate of 3-5% PER YEAR WORLDWIDE.

“Increasing numbers of (childhood) Type 1 Diabetes cannot be explained by a change in genes in such a short period,” says Giuseppina Imperatore, who leads a team of epidemiologists in the Division of Diabetes Translation at the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.”

“SO ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS ARE PROBABLY MAJOR PLAYERS IN THIS INCREASE.”

(REFERENCE: Diabetes Mystery: Why Are Type 1 Cases Surging?)

I completely agree with this assessment! So what steps have been taken to INFORM THE PUBLIC about potential environmental factors that may be contributing to this rise in childhood Type 1 Diabetes?

NONE!

Yet we claim:

“OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE.”

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AUTISM

The following bullet points show the rate that childhood autism has risen since the 1980’s:

• 1980’s: Two studies (1987 & 1989) found 1 in 2500-3000 U.S. children had autism.^2,3

• 2000: American Academy of Neurology and Child Neurology Society estimate 1 in 500 U.S. children had autism.⁴

• 2003-2004: Study (2006) revealed 1 in 188 U.S. children had autism.⁵

• 2007: CDC states 1 in 150 U.S. children had autism.⁶

• 2009: CDC states 1 in 110 U.S. children had autism.⁷

• 2012: CDC states 1 in 88 U.S. children had autism⁸

• 2014: CDC states 1 in 68 U.S. children had autism⁹

• 2014 (updated:) Changes in the National Health Interview Survey used by the CDC states 1 in 45 children had autism.¹

REFERENCES:

¹ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Estimated Prevalence of Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities Following Questionnaire Changes in the 2014 National Health Interview Survey. National Health Statistics Reports Nov. 13, 2015.
² Burd L, Fisher W, Kerbeshian J. A prevalence study of pervasive developmental disorders in North Dakota. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 1987;26:700-703.
³ Ritvo ER, Freeman BJ. The UCLA-University of Utah epidemiologic survey of autism: prevalence. Am J Psychiatry 1989; 146(2): 194-199.
⁴ Filipek PA, Accardo PJ et al. Practice Parameter: Screening and diagnosis of autism. Neurology 2000; 55(4): 468-479.
⁵ Gurney JG, McPheeters ML et al. Parental Report of Health Conditions and Health Care Use Among Children With and Without Autism National Survey of Children’s Health. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2006; 160(8): 825-830.
⁶ Hitti M. CDC: 1 in 150 kids may have autism. WebMD Health News Feb. 8, 2007.
⁷ Associated Press. 1 in 110 children have autism, study finds. NBC News Dec. 18, 2009.
⁸ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Estimates 1 in 88 children in the United States has been identified as having an autism spectrum disorder. CDC Press Release: Mar. 29, 2012.
⁹ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders Among Children Aged 8 Years – Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network 11 Sites, United States, 2010. MMWR Mar. 28, 2014; 63(SS02): 1-21.

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Populations VIOLENTLY RIOT when discrimination is the headline. Where is the NON VIOLENT PROTEST among our society when statistics like these are revealed about the deteriorating status of our children’s health? Where is the evidence our government and health care system is addressing this CRISIS in ANY kind of meaningful way?

The defensive scientific health care response simply argues more children are being “lumped together” with this diagnosis. Rather than defending our unwillingness to face this disease, we choose to deflect responsibility by claiming statistical inaccuracies. Yet EACH OF US accepts this exponentially growing rate of aberrant neurological function called AUTISM while claiming:

“I want my child to have a better life than I had growing up.”

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OBESITY

National rates of childhood obesity were first recorded in 1963. NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) has been the gold standard used to measure these values.

• 1963-1965: 2-5 yrs old- (NOT REPORTED)

• 1980: 2-5 years old ( 6.5%) (***could not find NHANES data for this year.) (REFERENCE: Childhood Obesity in the United States)

• 2014: 2-5 years old (9.4%)
  

• 1963-1965: 6-11 year old (4.2%)

• 1980: 6-11 years old (7%)

• 2014: 6-11 years old (17.5%)

• 1963-1965: 12-17 year old (4.6%) ***{their research used 17 instead of 19 years of age in the 1960’s}***

• 1980: 12-19 years old (5%)
  

• 2014: 12-19 years old (20.5%)

(REFERENCE: How Much Have Obesity Rates Risen Since 1950?)

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Childhood Obesity is a MAJOR FACTOR contributing to a multitude of serious life threatening diseases as children age including diabetes, heart disease, cancer, liver disease, gastrointestinal disease and depression. Once again we see a rising health threat starting in the 1980’s with limited evidence of intervention by our government and our health care industry. Where is the “cry for help” for our children? Where is the evidence we are taking this disease seriously? How has our our technology and academic knowledge been used to overcome this growing epidemic? Where is the PUBLIC OUTRAGE on the “spectrum of concern?”

Yet each of us continues to claim:

“I want my child to have a better life than I had growing up.”

“Our children are our future.”

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WHO DO WE THINK WE’RE FOOLING?

In reality, we only want more for our children:

• if it’s easy.

• if it doesn’t cost too much money.

• if it doesn’t cost us time.

• if it doesn’t interfere with our personal wants.

• if “someone else” will solve the problems for us.

These problems have been on the rise over the last 37 years. In reality, our children are NOT A PRIMARY CONCERN although we feel a need to express they are. Our WORDS without ACTIONS  lack SUBSTANCE AND VALUE. They create fragile sentences that fall apart when challenged with the phrase:

PROVE IT!

Our society is so self centered and insecure, we CHOOSE to be more concerned about our peers viewing us as “caring parents,” “caring educators,” “caring adults” and “caring doctors” than accepting our FAILURES and moving forward in search of REAL SOLUTIONS. This lack of sincerity based on our obvious lack of commitment will continue UNLESS each of us accepts responsibility for the growing crisis our children face.

SOLUTIONS:

1. It starts with adults LIVING THE LIFESTYLE that produces healthier outcomes their children will naturally emulate. What child doesn’t innately look at their parent as an omnipotent being; a source of strength, guidance and support? What type of example are most of us setting for them?

2. It starts with schools incorporating REAL HEALTH STUDIES that realistically teach the various components needed to achieve healthy outcomes (as part of the school curriculum.) This requires parental involvement in school board meetings and a willingness to ORGANIZE to help ensure policy changes.

3. It starts with doctors accepting greater personal responsibility to make certain their patients FULLY understand the importance of REALISTIC HEALTHY LIFESTYLES. This requires doctors to utilize professional resources to offer necessary guidance and education to adults AND children.  Handing out prescriptions (in place of) lifestyle changes can no longer be an acceptable option.

4. It starts with community coalitions developing, promoting and supporting youth programs that reinforce healthy lifestyles. Leaving children with their smart phones, computers, Xbox 360s or Playstations is not a substitute for organized group socialization providing HEALTHY environments for growth and development.

5. It starts with explanations about ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS that scientists and researchers never DEFINE AND QUALIFY. They’re quick to deny environmental factors such as GMO foods sprayed with increasing quantities of pesticides, herbicides and fungicides or preservatives and adjuvants found in vaccines,  but never seem to offer tangible answers to environmental factors contributing to the CAUSES of these CHILDHOOD DISEASES.
   

Since the 1980’s childhood Diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2,) Autism and Obesity have ALL dramatically escalated. Watching these numbers skyrocket has only hurt our children. We, as individuals, haven’t even considered to  question the changes BIG PHARMA, BIG AGRICULTURE and the MEDICAL INDUSTRY have introduced since the 1980’s that might be influencing the rise in these childhood diseases?

Do you really believe when BILLIONS OF DOLLARS are at stake, BIG BUSINESS will sacrifice itself knowing that society has already turned its back on their our children? It’s time we face the TRUTH!

THE ANSWERS DON’T START WITH BIG BUSINESS, GOVERNMENT OR THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR; THE ANSWERS START IN EACH OF OUR OWN HOMES!

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It is NOT MANDATORY to have a child to participate in the SOLUTION!

Are you willing to become part of the answer by taking ACTION and participating in one or more of the 5 solutions listed above, or are you going to continue to use “WORDS” in place of ACTIONS to demonstrate your “LOVE” and “DEVOTION“ for our children as they CONTINUE TO SUFFER the health consequences of our NEGLIGENCE?

Tags: agriculture, Autism, big business, children, diabetes, health, lifestyle, medical treatment, obesity, pharmaceutical companies, research, solutions