One of the many debates when considering Asperger Syndrome is whether or not the environment may cause or worsen the symptoms. Many of us tend to shrug when considering the effects of the environment. It seems overwhelming to think that the air we breath or the objects we touch daily may contain chemicals that are adversely impacting our nervous systems. Yet when individual chemicals are analyzed, many of them directly harm the nervous system. This effect can be even more pronounced in those with an already effected nervous system such as Asperger Syndrome. If the person with AS, and everyone else as well, examine these chemicals one by one and make tiny changes to his lifestyle, over time, it will make a difference. It will be one less contributor to the AS symptoms, which means less anxiety and fewer episodes of over-reactivity. While we will start with formaldehyde, each month we will look at a new substance which affects the nervous system and possibly AS.

Formaldehyde is a common chemical that is present in air fresheners, new clothes, carpets, some soft drinks, in particle board construction prevalent in motor and mobile homes as well as many kitchen cabinets in conventional houses as well. In cosmetics, nail polish and hair care products, it may be called Quaternium-15. What most people don't realize is that formaldehyde can cause anxiety, memory loss, insomnia and depression as well as physical problems. This brief report from Perdue University illustrates this problem. http://www.purdue.edu/dp/envirosoft/housewaste/house/formald.htm

In 1990, The Western Journal of Medicine reported a group of 53 employees at a large aircraft manufacturing facility all manifesting formaldehyde-related symptoms.

One solution to decrease, though it won't eliminate, this negative effect of formaldehyde is to wash all clothes and linens before wearing them or putting them on your bed. Avoiding air fresheners and keeping your windows open to air out your motor or mobile home when you are there will also help. Finally, use only natural cosmetics, nail polish and hair care products that don't contain formaldehyde.

While this link is not an endorsement of the site, they have a very practical explanation of formaldehyde in daily life and how to avoid it.

http://www.lifedynamix.com/articles/Cleansing-Detoxification/130.html

Finally, a very inexpensive solution is the house spider plant. It is a very effective detoxifier of formaldehyde.

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=159294