AN alarming number of babies in a rural swath of central Washington state over the last four years have been born with a rare and fatal defect that leaves them without part of their brain and skull, and scientists are stumped. In a three-county area that includes the city of Yakima, 26 babies born between 2010 and 2013 suffered from

Andrea Jackman plays with her nearly 6 month old daughter, Olivia. Olivia was born with a neural tube defect, spina bifida — her spinal cord failed to form properly. “It was scary,” said Jackman, “I didn’t expect anything to be wrong with her.” Olivia is one of 27 different cases the Washington State Department of Health says has affected Yakima,

The Department of Health is seeking specialists in health and nutrition with survey skills to check on the progress of a program to remedy iodine deficiency and cut back on neural tube defects (such as spina bifida) in infants. http://www.misaustralia.com.au/p/national/government_business/spotlight_shines_on_iodine_deficiency_k0yU9bRbCjDCC5XUcEyN7N

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Iodine deficiency is the most devastating event in developing brain in the fetus and neonate. Iodine is absolutely necessary on the myelination, neuronal differentiation, and formation of neural processes, synaptogenesis, and neuronal migration by thyroidal hormones throughout pregnancy and shortly after birth. Neural tube defects (NTD) form after third and fourth gestational weeks and their etiologies are multifactorial.