Taking precautions against lead poisoning
by Vicki Wolf, February 11, 2005
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report that approximately 434,000 children between ages 1-5 years nationwide have blood lead levels above 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood. Texas has about 64,000 children with elevated blood levels. Exposure to lead can cause damage to the brain and kidneys. Very high levels of exposure can cause seizures, coma and death.
It’s important to note that although 10 micrograms of lead is the level used by the CDC for determining which children have “elevated” levels of lead in their blood, it is not necessarily a safe level. Recent studies have shown that levels as low as 5 to 10 micrograms can cause intellectual impairment in children. Lead toxicity has been associated with poor school performance, lowered employability and delinquent behavior. Lead exposure while in the mother’s womb also presents health risks for the fetus.
Martin Lorin, MD, professor of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, says the United States was one of the last countries to ban lead in paint. In 1904, lead paint was first recognized as a cause of lead poisoning in children in Australia. It was not until 1978 that the United States government banned the use of lead paint in residential interiors. “Even though leaded paint is prohibited residentially, it is still used in metal appliances and putty around window seals,” Dr. Lorin says. Even plumbing pipes labeled “lead-free” can legally contain up to 8 percent lead, and solder can contain up to .25 percent.
Other sources of lead exposure include hobbies such as stained-glass work; recycling smelters, battery manufacturing or radiator repair; fumes from burning painted wood; soil in yards, playgrounds or gardens near painted buildings or busy streets; and some folk health remedies.
Lead poisoning is preventable. Eliminating lead exposure is critical towards protecting children’s health. While treatment is available, it will not reverse any of the brain damage once it has occurred. Prevention is the key.
Dr. Lorin recommends:
- Ask your child’s doctor to do a blood test for lead if you suspect lead exposure or poisoning
- Have the paint tested if your home was built before 1978, especially before doing construction that might stir up paint dust
- Clean up chipping and peeling paint inside and outside your home
- Do not let your child chew or suck on anything that has paint on it – check for teeth marks on window sills and other wood work
- Damp mop floors and wipe counters and other surfaces often
- Wash bottles, pacifiers and teething rings with soap and water, and rinse with distilled or filtered water
- Wash toys with soap and water at least once a week
- Wash children’s hands with soap and water before eating, naps and bedtime
- Never use hot tap water for preparing formula, drinking or cooking – hot water dissolves more lead than cold water
- Even with cold water, let water run for a minute to clear out the water that may have been sitting in lead-containing pipes
- Make sure your child has a balanced diet with enough calcium and iron to decrease absorption of any lead the child does ingest (foods high in iron and calcium include: potatoes, fruit, greens, raisins, eggs, milk, cheese and lean meats)
- Wash fruits and vegetables before eating them
- Do not store or serve food in glazed pottery, glazed ceramicware, pewter or lead crystal
- Do not give your child candy from Mexico – some candy from Mexico contains lead
- Do not give your child imported folk medicines that may contain lead – such as greta, pay-loo-ah or azarcon
- Do not allow your child to play in soil near old buildings or busy streets
- If you work with lead, shower and change clothes before coming home, and remove shoes before entering your home
The following resources provide more information about prevention of lead poisoning:
