Pesticides may lead to more ADHD diagnoses

See this CBS News report on the increasing numbers of young children being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

The article details a new study linking exposure to pesticides used in commercial farming to learning disabilities. Researchers at the University of Montreal found that children whose urine tested positive for byproducts of certain pesticides had double the chance of receiving an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnosis. More than 1,000 kids were tested – the largest study of its kind. The work appears in the journal Pediatrics.

This makes me take a new look at that giant container of delicious, perfectly plump strawberries from Costco my family and I have been eating. And this news item begs the question: What should a family on a limited income do? Sacrifice something else to buy organic produce or forgo produce such as strawberries all together if they’re non-organic? Is it better to eat a tainted berry than no berry at all?

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