Lead Poisoning
In recent years, there has been a heightened awareness of the causes and effects of lead poisoning. Despite the many campaigns to save children from the dangers of lead, there are still more than 400,000 children under the age of six who have too much lead in their blood.
And those are just the known cases. Many children do not have any symptoms of lead poisoning, but they may suffer from brain damage or an impaired nervous system for the rest of their lives. If you have not thought about the risk of lead poisoning, there is a good chance that your child could be quietly suffering.
How
Children Get It
Lead is a highly toxic metal. It is
present in household dust, soil,
air, drinking water, ceramics, home
remedies, hair dyes, and cosmetics,
among other things. However,
paint is by far the most common
source of lead poisoning in
children. Until 1978 many
homes were painted with lead-based
paint, and millions of children have
suffered from this mistake.
Even though lead paint was outlawed long ago, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development still estimates that about 38 million homes in the U.S. still contain some lead paint.
Adults are susceptible to lead poisoning too, but they tend not to be exposed to it like children are. Children get lead poisoning in a variety of ways. They can get lead dust on their hands or toys, which they will frequently put in their mouths. Small children also may suck on the lead paint chips that peel off the walls or chew on windowsills and doorframes that have been painted with lead-based paint.
How
to Know
Often times, children show no
symptoms of lead poisoning even
though every system in their body is
being harmed. For this reason,
it is important that you have your
children tested for irregular
blood-lead levels. It is
recommended that every child be
tested at the age of 6 months, and
then every year until they are 6
years old. Most doctors and
hospitals offer this testing for a
very reasonable cost. Because
lead poisoning can be passed from a
mother to a fetus, pregnant women
should also be tested.
Precautions
You Can Take
First and foremost, make sure that
your house has been checked and all
lead sources have been removed.
Pay special attention to paint and
drinking water. Lead can build
up in water pipes and contaminate
your drinking supply. You
should always run cold water for at
least a minute before drinking it.
Never use hot water from the faucet
for cooking -- heat it up yourself.
Always wash your hands before preparing food. As a preventative technique, you can serve meals that are high in iron and calcium to help prevent lead from being absorbed into your children's bodies. And last, but certainly not least, be sure to wash your children's hands before they eat, after they play outdoors, and before they go to sleep