Lead
is a heavy metal that is easy to work with. Its popularity
dates back thousands of years. Lead was used: to create
plates/mugs, as an additive to wine, in exterior and
interior paints, in gasoline for engines and even
as an anti-infective in wounds. Genuine crystal is
made with lead and should not be used for food and
beverage storage.
While
gasoline is no longer sold with lead, lead still accumulates
in the environment. Soil along busy roads, vacant
land where older homes once sat and even soil where
lead based paint was allowed to deteriorate is a threat.
Children
under the age of two are at greatest risk for lead
poisoning. Children of this age range are known for
putting their hands and objects in their mouths. When
a child comes in contact with: old toys which may
have been exposed, old paint containing lead or contaminated
soil, and then places an object in their mouth, they
are now exposed to lead. An infant formula mixed with
water that contains lead is another possible exposure.
Candy
that has been imported from other countries has been
known to contain lead. You should always use caution
when giving or consuming candy’s or other food
items that have been imported.
Lead
can also be found in drinking water. Contaminated
soil can leak into water systems. The plumbing in
your home can contain lead or lead solder. You cannot
see, taste or smell lead. Boiling your water has no
effect.
Occupational
hazards are also a threat. Persons who work with lead
or jobs that consist of home remodeling can bring
lead home on their skin or clothes.
Lead
can deposit and store in bones and joints. Women who
become pregnant and who were previously exposed to
lead can have children born with elevated blood lead
levels. Lead passes through the placenta and into
the fetus. The lead is released from mom when the
pregnancy is taking calcium from the bones.
Household
dust can contain lead. Tracking in contaminated dirt
and dust from home renovations can be inhaled.
It
is a fact that a child can seem 100% healthy and still
have high levels of lead in their blood.
Low
levels of lead in the body can slow the child’s
development. Learning disabilities and behavioral
problems have been linked to lead exposure. Too much
lead in the body can seriously injure the brain, nervous
system, read blood cells, kidneys and also lead to
mental retardation and death.
To
protect yourself and your family, the following advice
is recommended:
Consult
your child’s pediatrician and discuss lead testing.
A simple blood test is all that is needed to check
the level of lead exposure in your child. It is possible
for a result to be contaminated. If the first result
comes back high, request a second testing.
You
can get your home and yard tested for lead. Home testing
kits are available for home dust, soil and water but
the accuracy has not yet been established. Hiring
a professional to perform these tests might be the
better way to go due to their reliability and they
will also be able to advise you on ways of resolving
these issues.
If
you suspect that your home may have lead hazards,
there are a few steps you can take:
- Clean up any paint chips
- Keep your child from chewing painted surfaces
- Remove your shoes before entering your home
- Wash your child’s hands frequently
- Increase yours and your families’ intake
of iron, calcium and meals that are low in fat
content.
- Hire professionals to perform home improvement
projects.
- Hire professionals to remove and correct lead
problems.
The
National Lead Information Center can offer you help
in locating local certified contractors in your area.
Financial assistance may also be available.
If
you or your family member test positive for unsafe
blood lead levels, oral chelation therapy is available.
These medications bind to the iron so that it can
be excreted in urine. The more severe the levels,
the more involved the treatment. I.V. therapy and
Intra-muscular injectables are also a treatment option.
Lead
poisoning is a major environmental health problem
in the United States. Having yourself and your family
tested is vital to your health and well-being.
©
Rebecca Pillar 2007
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