Say Anything Blog

According to Senator Kennedy, more kids have asthma in this country thanks to air and water pollution.  Which is something that may or may not be true

Probably the most likely explanation for increasing asthma in this country is the fact that we’re exposed to too little harmful substances.  Childhood infections and exposure to substances from bacteria in a dirty environment seem to protect against allergies.  This seems to be the main reason why wealthier populations have more allergic disease.  However, Kennedy is partially correct in the fact that polution may trigger an asthma attack.

Definately agree with you, Rob.

Oh, and about Kennedy and Rush… I thought his greatest point about this whole soundbyte thing was, after Kennedy said “I was around when we REALLY used to filibuster!”, Rush says: “THIS is why we want them to filibuster!  Make them stand up there and talk and see how long they last!  How many days of incoherent ramblings like this can they put out before it’s obvious they aren’t winning any political points off of it!”

I’m paraphrasing, but his point was crystal clear…

Probably the most likely explanation for increasing asthma in this country is the fact that we’re exposed to too little harmful substances.

That has to be the most insanely idiotic thing I have heard today.

Its not a viral infection, you don’t become immune Einstien.

Mr. Limbaugh is certainly an expert on incoherent ramblings…and he’s quite adept and making shit up as well.

Do you have anything to add about the story by chance or is this drive-by insulting all we can expect from you?

Mr. Limbaugh is certainly an expert on incoherent ramblings…and he’s quite adept and making shit up as well.

Ha! Does anybody even listen to him anymore?

Mr. Limbaugh is certainly an expert on incoherent ramblings...and he’s quite adept and making shit up as well.

It’s not idiotic, FR, you may just not understand him.  In the “old days”, many more kids died that today are able to live even though their health is not as good.  Sickness and such killed off much more “weak” humans in the past, so the rise in asthma, poor eyesight, etc can be in part explained by this.  Also the exposure of bad health conditions as a youngster, if you survive, has a likely effect of increasing ones tolerance and ability to fight off this type of stuff when you get older.

My uncle once told me when I had my first kid, “If you see your kid playing in the mud, go pick him up… but don’t run TOO fast”.  Point being, don’t worry about keeping every possible sickness and germ and disease away from your kids because they will grow up with a weak immune system unable to fend off sickness.

This is kinda rambling, but I hope I got my point across.

(Cross posted in Wizbang comments)

I sent this to Rush:

From the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)(http://www.niehs.nih.gov/oc/news/cockroach.htm):

“These data confirm that cockroach allergen is the primary contributor to childhood asthma in inner-city home environments,” said NIEHS Director Kenneth Olden, Ph.D. “However, general cleaning practices, proven extermination techniques and consistent maintenance methods can bring these allergen levels under control.”

You don’t think the EPA’s restrictions on pesticide use would have anything to do with Teddy’s increases do you?
DKK

Showing how out of touch Dave is with reality....

Ha! Does anybody even listen to him anymore?

Yeah, only 20 million or so…

That has to be the most insanely idiotic thing I have heard today.

Its not a viral infection, you don’t become immune Einstien.

Well, according to some sources, what I said is a possible reason.  I never claimed asthma was caused by a viral infection.  Asthma is just a reaction to various environmental stressors.  These stressors vary from person to person.  However, a lot of asthma reactions are due to being exposed to allergins.  If someone is continually exposed to these potential allergins from an early age, their body’s cells could possibly become less likely to be hypersensitive to these substances.  This isn’t the case for all substances or all cases of asthma, but it is for some.  I admit, though, that it was definately an overstatement when I said that it was the “most likely explanation”.

But I refuse to believe that pollution is causing asthma.  It is a trigger, and could explain why asthma attacks are increasing, but there just isn’t a lot of evidence that suggests that it is even a cause, let alone the primary reason asthma is increasing.

To be honest, I, as well as many others, could be completely wrong, as the complete pathogenesis of the disease is not yet well understood.

Miscellaneous ramblings about Rush aside, Judge Alito has nothing at all to do with asthma at all, no matter what the cause may be.  Teddy Kennedy is a big fat idiot.

But I refuse to believe that pollution is causing asthma.

Well, thats true, its genetic.  Thats not to say that the pollution isn’t mutating our genes, but thats for another time.

Pollution is most definately causing more attacks, and causing people who would normally have very mild symptoms to have full blown attacks.

I grew up in Mercer County, so no one can tell me that those plants don’t make people sick.

LifeTrek,
I was about to mention the cockroach item, but saw you had the facts out there already.  My wife was in Health and Environmental control and home health Nurse.  She as well as I actually did home visits.  For about $2.50 you can buy a box of 8 traps that last 6 months.  A simple cleaning up of your place doesn’t hurt either.
On this subject, a direct connection has not been documented.  There are carry-overs from eczema, then hay fever type symptoms, and later asthma.

And thanks, Sphagnum, for explaining some of what I was trying to say.  Perhaps my initial comment wasn’t very clear.

What is Air America’s listenership this month?  What’s his name, a former commedian-- Al Frankin.  A $2,000,000 salary this year and maybe $3,000,000 next year.  That is if George / Move On / or more Gloria Wise money can be found.

Hard to defend the pollution hypothesis if you know how people lived 50 years ago.  Skies over cities were orange at times due to coal burning furnaces (and the snow blackened quickly), cars burned leaded gas (lots of which came out the tailpipe), and more.  The air is far cleaner today than it was 50 years ago.

Hence, one might be able to correlate specific types of asthma with specific pollutants, but the blanket statement by Kennedy is idiotic, as usual.

[...] As Ted Kennedy would say, the number of asthmatic-hating bigots on the high court has just increased by one. [...]

FR, I, and my child, are in Butler county. Air-borne pollution is WAY down from what it was 20 years ago. Your point is fallacious, at best, and outright bullshit on its face. Raise your children in a sterile enviroment and they will become ill as soon as they interact with normal children. Go to the CDC archives and read what they have to say on this subject. Not the press releases, the actual research results.

davy, to answer your question, no, we don’t listen to don. Point well made!

Not to mention the manure on the streets.  Maybe not 50 years ago, but 80 for sure.