Pesticides And AutismA 2007 study by the California Department of Public Health found that women in the first eight weeks of pregnancy who live near farm fields sprayed with the organochlorine pesticides dicofol and endosulfan are several times more likely to give birth to children with autism. The association appeared to increase with dose and decrease with distance from field site to residence.  The study's findings suggest that on the order of 7% of autism cases in the California Central Valley might have been connected to exposure to the insecticides drifting off fields into residential areas. These results are highly preliminary due to the small number of women and children involved and lack of evidence from other studies. It is not known whether these pesticides are human teratogens, though endosulfan has significant teratogenic effects in laboratory rats. A 2005 study showed indirect evidence that prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides such as diazinon and chlorpyrifos may contribute to autism in genetically vulnerable children. Several other studies demonstrate the neurodevelopmental toxicity of these agents at relatively low exposure levels. It has been suggested that exposure during pregnancy to pyrethrin, a common ingredient in anti flea and anti tick pet shampoos, can cause autism in the child. One retrospective study suggesting an association has been conducted, but has not been published. Pesticides And Autism What causes autism spectrum disorders Autism Checklist What You Should Know About Autism Spectrum Disorders |