With recent advances in technology and medicine, it seems almost certain that the num­ber of Americans with health issues would drop. However, according to recent reports, the rate of disabilities in American children has risen sig­nificantly within the last ten years.

Although the rate of physical disabilities has dropped with advances and the development of new technology, the rate of mental disabilities has risen significantly. These disabilities include ADHD and autism. A variety of factors may have played a role in these changes.

Many cases of mental disabilities are simply caused by differences in genes, but a number of external factors can also have an impact. Dif­ferent toxins can negatively affect brain func­tion. These include air and water pollutants such as mercury. Mercury pollution has become prevalent with the use of fossil fuels and can cause motor, behavioral, and immune dysfunc­tions. The use of coal, oil, and gas for energy, becoming greater as the demand for fuel for cars, power plants, and other industrial machines increases, contribute greatly to fossil fuel emis­sions.

Another factor that may play a role in the development of mental deficits is the economic situation that children are born into. It has been found that there is a sig­nificant disparity between the increase in disabili­ties of children living in wealthier homes to those children living in poverty. This is likely caused by the differences in stresses and experiences in dif­ferent income brackets. Families that deal with poverty are also more likely to be concerned with economic issues rather than with learning disabilities than afflu­ent families are, leading to a lack of treatment for their children’s mental issues.

Electromagnetic fields, which come from cellphones, Wi-Fi, and electrical outlets, can also increasethe chances of a child developing mental problems if his/her mother is exposed to them regularly during pregnancy. In modern society, where technology that involves these electro­magnetic fields is becoming increasingly utilized, more children will likely display mental illness.

As individuals in a society where stresses that lead to these mental deficits are becoming more common, we need to do what we can to regulate them and keep in mind the wellbeing of children. Although the decrease in cases of physical disabilities is promising, mental dis­abilities still need to be kept in mind as a major concern.