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Lead Poisoning Prevention
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According to a 1990 New England Journal
of Medicine, lead poisoning can "result in significant
and serious impairment of academic success, specifically a
seven fold increase in failure to graduate from high school,
lower class standing, greater absenteeism, impairment of reading
skills sufficiently extensive to be labeled reading disability
(indicated by scores two grades below the expected scores),
and deficits in vocabulary, fine motor skills, reaction time
and hand-eye coordination.”
Children and fetuses are most affected
by lead poisoning because they have not yet fully developed.
A pregnant mother exposed to lead poisoning
can pass it through her body, harming the fetus and causing:
- Stillbirth
- Miscarriage
- Low birth rate
- Premature birth
- Impairment of sensory-motor
development
Lead poisoning effects on children can become
permanent, depending on the age of lead exposure, amount of
lead poisoning absorbed into the blood, and how long the lead
exposure lasts. Lead poisoning can cause:
| Brain
damage |
| Nervous
system damage- can cause seizures, coma, and death |
| Anemia |
| Damage
to the teeth |
| Kidney
function changes |
| Behavioral
problems |
| Learning
disorders |
| Delayed
and/or slower growth |
| Hearing
problems |
| Headaches |
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Lead Poisoning
Prevention
Even children who may appear to be healthy
can have dangerously high levels of lead poisoning.
Although lead poisoning prevention is easier
than treatment, detecting lead can be challenging. By educating
families about the dangers and possible sources of lead serious
lead poisoning health complications can be eliminated, many
of which cannot be reversed. Recognizing lead poisoning sources
in order to eliminate them can keep children safe.
| There are temporary
solutions and permanent solutions for reducing lead poisoning
hazards. If you have damaged lead paint surfaces you can
temporarily fix it by repairing it or planting grass over
soil containing lead. While these actions do not eliminate
all the risks of lead poisoning, they will create safer
conditions immediately until a permanent solution is found.
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LEAD POISONING
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. . a chronic intoxication caused when lead is
absorbed into the body through the inhalation
or ingestion of, in most cases, paint, dust, or
soil containing lead.
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| Permanent solutions to preventing
lead poisoning include hiring a lead abatement contractor
to completely eliminate the lead hazard. Lead abatement
services will remove, seal, or enclose any lead based
paints with special materials. Simply painting over the
lead paint with regular paint does not completely take
care of the problem of possible lead poisoning.
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Simple things like keeping your children’s
hands clean and their nails clipped short can help reduce the
amount of potential lead they ingest. Since children tend to
put their hands and other objects in their mouths, cleaning
often and well can keep dust and dirt containing lead out of
their mouths and into their blood, preventing lead poisoning.
Keeping your home clean can also clear the lead in the air out
and from letting it settle into carpet and furniture. Workers
that are exposed to lead poisoning should change clothing before
entering their home, and things as simple as wiping off your
shoes before entering the house you can prevent dirt-containing
lead from being tracked through your house.
Rental properties that have been around since
before 1978 and have paint that is peeling or chipped should
have the landlord notified. Any paint chips should be cleaned
up immediately until a permanent solution is provided. It
is a good idea to check our your town’s surroundings
to make sure there are no industries giving off lead.
Testing For Lead Poisoning
Children should be checked for lead poisoning
if you suspect there is a possible lead source they come in
contact with. Contact a physician or your state health department
for information on lead poisoning screening, as well as provide
the proper assessment of local lead poisoning hazards and
conditions that can determine the degree of risk for lead
poisoning exposure your child has. Checking for lead poisoning
is performed through a blood test that can detect high levels
of lead. Since it is difficult to observe lead poisoning symptoms
in many cases it is better to get children tested and be safe.
There are around two million children suffering from lead
poisoning in the U.S. It is a good idea to get blood tests
for children who are six months to one year old and for any
individual that suspects they have been exposed to high levels
of lead. Lead that is in teeth and bones can be measured with
X-rays, but this test is not as available as blood tests are.
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Adults are affected by lead poisoning
in different ways, sometimes lead-
ing to high blood pressure and damage to reproductive organs.
Adult
lead poisoning symptoms are:
- Death
- Coma
- Seizures
- Reprod-
uctive problems
- Digestive problems
- Listlessness
- Lack of coordination
- Vomiting
- Altered
conscious-
ness
- Bizarre behavior
- Loss
of recently acquired
skills
- Pregnancy difficulties
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