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