Kids passing special education (SPED) services under the other health impairments category, which includes autism and ADHD, soared from 10% to 16%.
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Special Education Services Received by Students with Autism Are on the Rise
Prenatal consumption of ultra-processed foods results in poor nutrition and exposures to heavy metals which adversely impact infant gene behavior before and after birth.‘Autistic kids may receive services, autism caseload percentages tripled soaring from 4% to 11% while developmental delay caseload percentages quadrupled jumping from 1% to 4%. ’
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The line of research that focuses on the effect of dietary factors on gene expression is known as nutritional epigenetics. Dr. Dufault’s has led research efforts in this field of study since 2005 when she first identified the problem of inorganic mercury residues in high fructose corn syrup while still working at the Food and Drug Administration. 
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Heavy metal residues continue to be a problem in the food supply. The US Congress released two reports in 2021 on the problem of heavy metals in baby foods. The first report issued on February 4, 2021, revealed baby foods are tainted with dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury.
The second report, issued on September 29, 2021, confirmed new disclosures from manufacturers show dangerous levels of heavy metals in even more baby foods. These heavy metal exposures may further exacerbate the development of autism and ADHD.
Source-Eurekalert