What is it???
Iodine is an element that is needed for the production of thyroid hormone. The body does not make iodine, so it is an essential part of your diet.  Not consuming iodine can lead to a low or weak thyroid. A woman with a low iodine level and a low thyroid have a very high risk of having children with low intelligence, underdeveloped jaws, and dental problems.
Common symptoms of low thyroid include:
-Fatigue, weight gain, headache, brain fog

-Thinning or missing outer third of the eye brow
-Hoarse voice, puffy face, constipation, PMS
-Cold hands & feet, thinning hair, fading memory
-Hoarse voice, swollen tongue







So, how does this affect children? How are we solving this problem?
Iodine deficiency is the primary cause of preventable mental retardation and brain damage, having the
most devastating impact on the brain of the developing fetus and young children in the first few years of life. Iodine deficiency also increases the chance of infant mortality, miscarriage and stillbirth.The 1990 World Summit for Children set the goal of eliminating iodine deficiencies by 2000. The consumption of iodized salt in households has risen from less than 20 per cent in 1990 to over 70 per cent today. Each year nearly 91 million children a year are now  protected against learning impairment related to iodine deficiency and losses in learning capability.

What is the current research? Why are these problems occurring in developing countries? 

Thirty per cent of households in developing countries that are not consuming iodized salt include 41 million infants and newborns who are therefore not protected.  Many people in these developing countries do not have access to the foods that the U.S. or some countries in Europe have access to.  Therefore, these people do not have all of the essential nutrients in their diet; one of these essential nutrients being iodine.  Current research is being done to find a way to solve this problem and give these developing countries enough iodized salt to prevent their citizens from developing iodine deficiency.   Iodized salt is a simple global supplementation program that has had dramatic positive effects in reducing iodine deficiency.

Hyperlinks:
-The Silent Epidemic of Iodine Deficiency:
http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2011/oct2011_The-Silent-Epidemic-of-Iodine-Deficiency_01.htm
-Iodine Deficiency
http://www.vitamincfoundation.org/iodine.htm



Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOXevvPvKvo#!