Poisoned!

Winter seems to have tried to to push past fall and establish itself here in Walla Walla this past week- 30-40's clouds and rain. Brrrrr!
So when the sun broke through the clouds yesterday afternoon, I couldn't resist bundling my children into the stroller for a walk.
The weather was too nice to turn around at our usual place so onward to the golf course we trekked.
My children love to run around on the luscious green grass. If I have the time, I let them do it. Today, the grass was really wet and I pulled off Abrianna's socks and let her loose.
Smiling and babbling in her 18 month old language she took off chasing after Lucas and Jasper ( our dog).
About 10 minutes later, she began to stumble and fall. Strange. Maybe she was tripping on the long grass, maybe she stepped on something. Picking her up, I carried to a flatter area with short grass.
She would take about three steps and her little legs would completely give way and she'd fall to the ground. Up she'd stand and repeat process.
Now, I knew that something had been sprayed on the field yesterday. Very concerned, I collected my children and set out for home.
I grabbed my phone and called my dad. He has a lot of experience with pesticide/insecticide issues and knows their symptoms. He agreed that some chemical was liking causing the loss of control of her legs.
On a side note, years ago my best friend's property was sprayed with pesticides by the city who didn't inform the parents that they'd done it. Heidi her little sister aged two, completely lost her ability to walk. This happened twice.
You can imagine this was running through my mind as I was hurrying home.
Upon arrival at the house I immediately scrubbed her feet off with soap and water. Setting her on the floor, I watched to see if it had been all in my imagination. NO! Her legs still weren't working right. In fact, when Rick got home about 5 hours later, he could see that she wasn't walking normally.
I called her pediatrician to see if he could see her. He advised to try to find out what had been sprayed in the area and then contact poison control. In retrospect, I wish I'd taken her in to document what I was seeing. I also wish that I'd video taped her when we got home.
Also, Lucas was the biggest brat of his life that afternoon. That is a side effect of the Chipco.

The rest of the day, I frantically called around trying to locate the owner of the field next to the golf course that had been sprayed the day before, so I could ask what they'd sprayed on the field.
I did take off her clothes, give her charcoal mixed in juice and a charcoal/epsom salt bath to help pull the poison out. I gave her charcoal juice again the following day.
I did find out the next day, through the help of the Dept of Health and the Dept of Ag that it was anhydrosammonia being injected into the ground with the wheat that was being planted in the field. It will cause respiratory problems but not disrupt neuromuscular control.
The same day, I finally thought to call the golf course to see if anything had been applied to their grounds within the past couple of weeks. Yes, I was told after much hem hawing around and reluctance that it had been sprayed with Chipco and Dacinol 2 weeks earlier. Normally, once again those chemicals don't last that long. BUT, thanks to some info from my dad, I learned that additives are often added to prolong the chemicals effects and will reactivate the chemical if it comes in contact with water.
Lee Barrigar from Dept of Ag called to tell me that he'd found out the same things I had. But he said there was no way that Abrianna could have had any problems from those chemicals. "Are you sure she didn't just step on something?" I heard that from way too many people.
Poison Control had the same reaction. There NO WAY that she could be having these effects.
"Are you SURE she didn't just step on something?"
By this time I was getting frustrated and angry. The Dept of Ag said that they were not going to file a chemical incidence report either.
As most of you know, I'd posted some of these things on facebook. The wife of MY pediatrician when I was a child saw my postings and began asking Maynard what he thought. He immediately said it was likely a chemical poisoning and told me what to watch for. Symptoms can worsen and children do wind up in the hospital from such exposures.
After finding out what chemicals where involved and sending him the list, he responded that Chipco a fungicide was a carbonate and causes neuromuscular disruption, irritability, shortness of breath, and convulsions. Why doesn't anybody here in the state of WA know these things.
I was livid now. Talking once more to my dad on the phone, making sure I had all the right terms and info. I called back Mr. Barrigar.
He still said that he wasn't going to file the incident report. Then using the "right terms" my dad had given me and the info from Maynard I became forceful. He still insisted there wasn't any way those chemicals had caused a problem.
I went on to explain how sometimes things are added to chemicals to prolong the potency and that Chipco is a carbonate and that it causes neuromuscular disruption and that my daughter is a very sensitive girl. I've had to use organic diapers with her and new clothes cause a rash.
He said that he would talk to his program manager and get back with me. He called back less than an hour later stating since this WAS a human health incident and since my daughter WAS sensitive that he would come down the next day to take some samples, pictures, GPS reading, and ultimately file that coveted report.
So Friday rolls around, and I pack all three kids into the van and head to the golf course, Rick following in his car. Rick wasn't excited about being there. He was embarrassed. I totally agreed with him that the golf course had every right to spray chemicals on their green. I wasn't after the golf course or the applicator. I just wanted the effects of the chemical on file.
Rick left to run some errands and I met with the Dept of Ag Representative, the manager from the golf course, and two people from the applicator by myself! Scary stuff.
I was insistent about what I'd seen. Amazingly they were all really nice. Samples were taken, pictures, and GPS quadrants. 2 hours later we were done.
Whew. I hope I never have to go through that again. I did find out I'd been given some misinformation from the golf course. The chemicals had been applied 8 days before, not 2-3 weeks.There was no Dacinol. Instead it was Heritage, a lower toxicity fungicide.

Unbeknown-est to the men I met with. My dad is headed to Washington DC for some meetings with the USDA. He is angry that I was brushed off so many times and he is going to talk to the top Washington State Dept of Ag Representative and make sure that the report was filed like it was supposed to be.

I don't know what the conclusion of the matter will be. But at least there is a written record it DID happen
Hopefully this will bring you all up to speed and make some sense.