Birth Defects Found in Vietnam Veterans, Children

 

This information was taken from an American study

 

 

There’s mounting scientific evidence that birth defects are associated with

dioxin-contaminated herbicide exposure in Vietnam.

 

Over 60,000 Australians served in Vietnam.  Americans, allied troops and Vietnamese are dying today of cancers and non-cancerous heath effects of exposure to dioxin, a toxic by-product contaminant of Agent Orange  and the other rainbow herbicides. There’s growing scientific evidence that the children of Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange and other rainbow herbicides suffer from birth defects, developmental disabilities,

cancers and other serious diseases linked to the parents’ toxic exposures.

 

Dioxin use in Vietnam is a tragic case of unintended consequences. From 1962 to 1971, more than 19 million gallons were sprayed over South Vietnam.   The Vietnam War never ended for those who were exposed to these herbicides.  Intended to deny cover to the enemy, destroy his food supply, and clear fire zones of vegetation, there was no way for friend or foe to avoid exposure to dioxin.  Named after the colour of the stripe on 55 gallons drums, Agents Orange, Blue, Green, Pink, Purple and White  flowed into rivers and streams when it rained.

No one in Vietnam could avoid exposure to it.

 

If not sprayed on by friendly aircraft, they were exposed to it when they moved through an area saturated with it.  Agent Orange was a combination of two defoliants, 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D contaminated by dioxin (TCDD),

a toxic by-product of the chemical production process.

 

 More than 19 million gallons of herbicides were sprayed in Vietnam from 1962-71.   More than 11.2 million gallons sprayed after 1965 were dioxin-contaminated Agent Orange.   Agents Purple, Pink, and Green

used before 1965 were even more highly contaminated with dioxin.

 

Veterans are dying today from the toxic effects of dioxin exposure.    Veterans who died from exposure to dioxin in Vietnam should be recognized for giving their lives in service to our country.  Diseases linked as presumptive to exposure to Agent Orange and

other herbicides, including:

 

 

AL Amyloidosis

Chronic B-cell Leukaemia's

Chloracne

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

Hodgkin’s Disease

Ischemic Heart Disease

Multiple Myeloma

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Parkinson’s Disease

Peripheral Neuropathy - Acute and Subacute

Porphyria Cutanea Tarda

Prostate Cancer

Respiratory Cancers

Soft Tissue Sarcomas

 

 

There is also the also trauma that comes with living in the same house as a Veteran.

 

This can effect young people in many ways.

 

Below is an older study but nothing has changed.

 

Will this repeat it's self with the Children of our younger Veterans?

 

 

Suicides in Vietnam veterans children a continuing problem

 

High suicide numbers in the children of Vietnam veterans is likely to be a continuing problem, according to a report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

 

A 1999 Institute report confirmed that suicide rates in the children of Vietnam veterans are three times

that of the general community.

 

The latest report, Suicide in Vietnam Veterans Children, commissioned by the Department of Veterans Affairs, shows that this figure, and associated patterns of suicide, remained unchanged from 1988 to 1997.

 

Head of the AIHWs Health Registers and Cancer Monitoring Unit, Dr Paul Jelfs, says that on the evidence we have, if current suicide patterns remain steady, there is a risk of a substantial number of suicides among the children of Vietnam veterans in the coming decade that will be well above what would be expected

in the general community.