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Programs: Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative
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LDDI Overview / Accomplishments | Meetings | Resolution | Members | Resources | Legislation | Bulletins
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Overview of LDDI

The Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative (LDDI) is a national working group of the Collaborative on Health and the Environment (www.healthandenvironment.org). The primary mission of LDDI is to foster collaboration among learning and developmental disability organizations, researchers, health professionals and environmental health and justice groups to address concerns about the impact environmental pollutants may have on healthy brain development. LDDI currently has over 375 organizational and individual members engaged in research, educational and policy efforts. This group is coordinated by Elise Miller, MEd, Executive Director of the Institute for Children's Environmental Health (ICEH). She can be contacted at emiller@iceh.org.

Background

According to recent studies, the incidence of learning and developmental disabilities appears to be rising, affecting about one in six children in the U.S. under the age of 181. Many factors – heredity, gene expression, social environment, nutrition and chemical contaminants – contribute to brain development in complex ways. Chemical contaminants, however, have historically been the least researched and are the most preventable. Emerging science suggests that exposures to certain neurotoxicants such as lead, mercury, pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated flame retardants, solvents and other known and suspected neurotoxicants can contribute to neurological problems including learning and developmental disabilities (LDDs). Recent research also shows that the developing fetus and children are particularly vulnerable to environmental exposures. Given this, protecting children from exposures to neurotoxicants starting as early as fetal development is an essential public health measure if we are to help prevent further increases in LDDs.

Initial Strategies and Goals

In order to address these issues, LDDI was established in May 2002. At the first meeting in Washington, DC, the initial group of participants determined that the national LDD sector, with its hundreds of thousands of members, in collaboration with scientists and key environmental health and justice organizations, could be an effective voice for protecting children from toxic hazards related to brain development. In addition, the group acknowledged that most learning and LDD groups have traditionally focused on identifying kids with LDDs and getting them the services they need – something that is, of course, very important but does not address the rising rates of LDDs. For this reason, LDDI also coalesced to encourage the LDD sector to look collectively upstream, and in addition to their other efforts, help prevent toxic threats to child development. LDDI was established as one of the main working groups of the Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE), a national coalition of scientists, health-care providers, health-affected groups and community-based organizations committed to working collaboratively to eliminate environmental contributors to chronic health problems.

This group also defined four goals for LDDI:

  1. Educating state and national learning and developmental disabilities (LDD) groups about possible environmental links to LDDs.
  2. Translating emerging science into information and fact sheets to be used at workshops and on websites for lay audiences.
  3. Cultivating opportunities for interested groups to press for specific legislation that would eliminate neurotoxicants, such as mercury, pesticides and persistent bioaccumulative toxins.
  4. Increasing collaboration and expanding partnerships among groups and individuals who are interested in promoting good health and preventing toxic exposures that can lead to or exacerbate disabilities.

Source

1. Boyle CA, Decoufle P, Yeargin-Allsopp M. Prevalence and health impact of developmental disabilities in US children. Pediatrics. 1994 March 93(3):399- 403.

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Highlights

LDDI Scientific Consensus Statement

LDDI has created a scientific consensus statement on environmental agents associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Download the complete document (PDF, 212 KB) or the executive summary (PDF, 14 KB). A separate statement of policy recommendations based on the scientic statement is being created and will be available for all to sign in the coming weeks.

A press release regarding this statement has been sent to the media. Articles have been published around the world, such as on King 5 News and in Health Sentinel.

LDDI Letter to Congressional Leaders about the National Children's Study

In April 2007, LDDI sent a letter to Congressional leaders from a number of national learning and developmental disabilities organizations regarding the National Children's Study (NCS). We encourage others of you who are interested to send your own letters to Congress in support of sustained funding for NCS.

LDDI Featured in Social Work Today

LDDI was highlighted in an article in the March/April 2007 issue of Social Work Today. Read the article: Chemical Kids – Environmental Toxins and Child Development.

LDDI Journal Article Available

LDDI coordinator Elise Miller, along with ICEH staff member Nancy Snow, published an article in the Zero to Three journal in November 2005. "Safeguarding Our Children at Home: Reducing Exposures to Toxic Chemicals and Heavy Metals" is available for order from the Zero to Three website: click on "Browse and order past issues" and look for the November 2005 issue.

LDDI Receives Recognition Award

logo of the 2005 Children's Environmental Health AwardThe Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative (LDDI) received a Recognition Award in Children's Environmental Health from the US Environmental Protection Agency. The award was in gratitude for "raising awareness and stimulating activities in your community about children's environmental health."

Events and Meetings Listed

Upcoming LDDI events, meetings and conference calls as well as those of some LDDI member organizations are listed on our LDDI Meetings page.

LDDI brochureNew LDDI Brochures

LDDI has new brochures with an updated list of organizational members and other information. These are useful for raising awareness among your constituencies about the links between environmental pollutants and learning and developmental disabilities and the broad range of groups and institutions across the country working to address these concerns. We would be happy to send you brochures free of charge. To request LDDI brochures (shown at right), please contact our office manager.

Mercury Brochure Released

The Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA), the National Education Association (NEA), and The Arc of the United States recently released a brochure that identifies mercury pollution as one of the greatest threats facing developing fetuses, infants and young children. This publication also shows parents how exposure to this potent neurotoxicant can adversely affect their child's learning potential. You can read the news release.

Multimedia Resources

LDDI member Institute of Neurotoxicology and Neurological Disorders provides a website with resources relating to toxicology at www.asmalldoseof.org. Multimedia resources include audio clips and PowerPoint presentations and other references.

Some Accomplishments of LDDI Members to Date

updated October 2006

Major National and Regional Meetings

  1. Organized a successful national meeting at the National Institutes of Health highlighting the latest research, educational and policy efforts regarding the links between neurotoxicants and LDDs (May 2004). Attended by researchers, health-care professionals, government agency representatives, health-affected groups and advocacy organizations from across the country, the meeting aimed to enhance understanding, encourage support, and highlight existing initiatives regarding the links between certain chemical exposures and learning and developmental disabilities. The meeting was followed by a day of congressional visits by several LDDI members. Notes, congressional materials and presentations from the meeting have been posted on our LDDI meetings page.
  2. Organized five well-attended regional meetings in Michigan (October 2004), Pennsylvania (April 2005), New York (June 2005), California (October 2005) and Minnesota (January 2006) with state-based LDD groups. These have led to new state-based educational and policy initiatives with LDDI members in these regions. See our meetings page for more information.
  3. Presented on LDDI at these conferences and meetings:
    • International Neurotoxicology Conference (September 2006)
    • National Chemical Policy Meeting (July 2006)
    • Autism Society of America conference (July 2006)
    • National Association for the Dually Diagnosed conference (March 2006)
    • American Public Health Association national conference (December 2005)
    • American Speech and Hearing Association national conference (November 2005)
    • International Neurotoxicology Conference (September 2005)
    • CHE-Oregon's meeting (February 2005)
    • a statewide Idaho Early Start conference sponsored by Head Start (December 2004)
    • American Public Health Association's annual meeting (November 2004)
    • Washington State Public Health Association's annual conference (October 2004)
    • Autism Society of America's annual meeting (July 2004)
    • Learning Disabilities Association annual conference (March 2004)
  4. Worked with the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (formerly the American Association on Mental Retardation) to organize a national meeting of developmental disabilities (DD) groups and environmental health organizations at the Wingspread Conference Center in July 2003 to draft a national blueprint for working to eliminate environmental toxicants that may contribute to DDs. Since this time, AAIDD has partnered with LDDI members and others to develop a vibrant environmental health initiative with several committees and ongoing activities.

Federal and State Efforts

  1. Organized a Congressional Briefing on May 10, 2005, entitled "Chemical Exposure, Children's Health nd Disability." This briefing was cosponsored by Senators Lautenberg, DeWine, Kerry, Snowe and Jeffords. This helped encourage Senators Lautenberg and Jeffords to introduce a new federal bill to Congress entitled the “Kid Safe Chemical Policy Act” in July 2005 to revamp the Toxic Substances Control Act and create a better system for screening and testing chemicals and protecting vulnerable populations from exposures. See our meetings page for more information.
  2. Drafted letters to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency on mercury emissions from coal-burning power plants (December 2003), lindane (September 2004), developmental neurotoxicity testing (December 2004) and perchlorate (April 2005).
  3. Pressed for state legislation over the past year on a variety of neurotoxicants including mercury, brominated flame retardants and pesticides.
  4. Helped form a new Autism Strategy Group, stemming from the discussions at the Autism Recovery Consortium at Commonweal in October 2005. LDDI participates in the monthly calls.
  5. Facilitated national CHE Partnership monthly calls in December 2005 (on pesticides and neurological problems) and January 2006 (on thyroid dysfunction and enviro exposures).
  6. Serving as the co-chair of CHE's Parkinson's Disease (PD) Working Group.

New National Environmental Health Efforts Led by LDD Organizations

Catalyzed major national initiatives on environmental health:

  1. Healthy Children Project spearheaded by the Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA)
  2. Environmental Health Initiative of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (formerly the American Association on Mental Retardation, AAMR).
  3. The Autism Society of America (ASA) has established an environmental health initiative because of its engagement with LDDI. LDDI serves on the ASA's Environmental Health Advisory Board and participates in their regular calls.

Media Efforts and Publications

  1. Spoke at a press conference in Washington, DC, on how endocrine-disrupting chemicals may impact the thyroid and contribute to learning and developmental disabilities (June 2004). The press conference was organized by Environmental Media Services. You can view the press release (PDF file) from this press conference.
  2. Gave interviews for an educational video on the impact of endocrine-disrupting chemicals on the thyroid that is now available for distribution through the Learning Disabilities Association of Iowa.
  3. Authored articles related to LDDI in the 0-3 Journal (November 2005); San Francisco Medicine, a journal of the San Francisco Medical Society (April 2004) and Neurotoxicology (June 2004).See our LDDI Resources page.
  4. Served as guest coeditor of a special issue of the LDA's peer-reviewed journal devoted to the links between environmental pollutants and learning disabilities. The issue is to be published in the summer of 2006.
  5. Published thirteen "Practice Prevention” columns on specific neurotoxicants and environmental exposures for state and national LDD organizations' newsletters and other publications – many of which are now translated into Spanish as well. See our LDDI Resources page.
  6. Wrote a summary of the Centers for Disease Control's biennial biomonitoring report released in July 2005 and previously in January 2003, with a focus specifically on neurotoxicants, for distribution to lay audiences in the LDD sector.

Internal LDDI Activities

  1. Developed the original LDDI Resolution on toxic threats to child development, co-signed by member organizations, that describes what we currently know and don't know scientifically about neurotoxicants and what actions would be prudent to take now to increase our knowledge and protect people from toxic exposures. (April 2003).
  2. Hosted strategic planning conference calls for LDDI members regularly since its inception.
  3. Published weekly bulletins with updates on events, news articles and resources to reduce e-mail traffic. See our Bulletins page.

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