Caleb's lead level - sorry, kinda long UPDATED

nurselochia · #1 September 29th, 2011, 09:36 AM

I posted in our FB group, but thought I'd share here, too. Caleb had his 1 year appt on Tuesday and since we live in an old house, they check the kids for lead. The other kids always checked out fine...their results were always 0. I got a call from the ped saying Caleb's lead level came back high at 33.

She hoped maybe it was a lab error, but it wasn't the quick finger stick I guess they can do, but a real blood draw, so I'm sure it's right. I took him in (went to the hosp. I work at so the ladies in peds could draw him...they do a much better job, plus I work with most of them) to have it redone yesterday. Haven't heard the results yet, but if it's high, the health dept. will come out and help us figure out where the lead is coming from. After looking around the house, I think the windows upstairs in the bedrooms probably are lead-based paint and I have caught him chewing on the window sills, but I never thought anything about it before. And a door frame downstairs has paint that's cracked like it could peel, but it's just in between the storm door and inside door. I'm sure that's where it's coming from. I still feel absolutely horrible, but when your other kids never had an issue and nothing has changed, you just assume it will be the same with the next kid. And we haven't done any rennovations sicne he's been born. Poor Caleb, I *know* we didn't do anything wrong, but you all know how a mom's mind works: I feel guilty because he was preterm, I feel guilty because I was basically starving him when I was breastfeeding and didn't realize it (again, successful breastfeeder X3 before him...so I just assumed everything would be fine) and now he has very high levels of lead. It's hard to not feel like I'm failing him left and right. At least he's one happy, chubby little guy now

and I'm glad we had him tested. I'm just waiting to hear from the doc to see where we go from here, and I'll have to see if I need my other kids drawn too (that will be a good time

) In the meantime, we'll be getting supplies today or tomorrow to remove the paint on the door frame and window frames.

UPDATE:
Talked with his ped just now, his level is 26. So we are going to have to have his blood drawn for a CBC and ferritin level. And we are going to recheck the other kids, too, just to be safe. Let me tell ya, that will be a fun trip. Wednesday the health dept comes out, to help us figure out where the lead is coming from and to do a developmental screening. *sigh* at least we had him checked and we can take steps to fixing whatever the problem is

~*Kixs*~ · #2 September 29th, 2011, 09:53 AM

Don't feel guilty mama. You are so good to your kids but sometimes things come along that you can't forsee.

Hope the 2nd draw comes back lower.

KellersMom517 · #3 September 29th, 2011, 09:55 AM

How do you know where the lead is? Did you get it tested already? this is a sucky situation - when does Caleb get his re-test? Sorry he has to go through that again sweetie!!

Crystal78 · #4 September 29th, 2011, 10:26 AM

A mommy's guilt is never ending, don't feel bad you couldn't have known. He looks happy and healthy! I hope it was a lab error. Good luck

nurselochia · #5 September 29th, 2011, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KellersMom517

How do you know where the lead is? Did you get it tested already? this is a sucky situation - when does Caleb get his re-test? Sorry he has to go through that again sweetie!!

We don't really know where it is. They just say to look for peeling paint, or paint chipping off. The paint around the windows is cracked and looks like if we got it started we could pick it off. But I don't know if that could happen from layers and layers of paint. (original windows and frames)I imagine if(when) the health dept comes out, they'll take samples or test it. But I have no idea how they test for that though. He was drawn yesterday, but I haven't heard the results yet. And I have no idea what we do if it does come back high. I never really paid any attention to stuff like that. We thought buying an old house would be fun and we both like the character of the old house...now, not so much.