Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #116016

Michele N. Gagnon, American Association on Mental Retardation, 444 N Capitol Street, NW, Suite 846, Washington, DE 20001-1512, 202/387-1968, mgagnon@AAMR.ORG

Mental Retardation and other developmental disabilities (DD) affect at least 1.5 million children under the age of 18 and appear to be increasing. Given that we know exposures to neurtoxicants may contribute to and exacerbate mental retardation and other developmental disabilities, the American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) has launched an Environmental Health Initiative. The main goal of the Initiative is to engage the developmental disabilities sector in the growing national movement to eliminate toxicants that may contribute to neurological problems and exacerbate existing disabilities. Special considerations of the DD community need to be examined such as abnormal metabolism function of people with Downs syndrome and what that means for how they handle toxicants. Another special consideration would be pica activity that may predispose exposure to contaminants on non-food items such as lead contaminated soil or paint chips. The Inititiative: 1) Developing collaborative educational and advocacy materials with members of the Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative, the Partnership for Children's Health and the Environment, the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities and many other environmental and disability organizations. 2) Working with elected and appointed officials and policymakers in support of a environmental health and disability research agenda, expanded research on multiple chemical exposures and encouraging the inclusion of people with disabilities in current research efforts.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to

• Describe the nature and extent of developmental disabilities in the United States.
• Identify the special health considerations of people with developmental disabilities regarding pollution and toxic exposures.
• Participants will be able to discuss the Initiative and its collaborative efforts between the developmental disabilities network and the environmental health community to reduce exposures to neurtoxicants in the broad areas of education, policy and research efforts.

Keywords: Disability, Environmental Exposures

Related Web page: www.aamr.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.