The Danger of Lead Level Poisoning
in Young Children

Lead poisoning affects 4 to 6% of all children in the United States. One of the reasons is that baby's and toddlers put everything in their mouth. Another reason is that they are often playing and crawling on the floor picking up any lead dust carried into the house.

When lead comes in their bloodstream it will be stored in the liver, kidneys and in the brain. Babies are at a higher risk because their bodies absorb more lead than adult bodies. High levels of lead can cause serious health problems.

What is lead and where can it be found.

Baby eating paint chips of the wall
may cause lead level poisoning.

Lead is a metal that can be found in the earth and is widely use in household products.
Until 1978 lead used to be in house paint. That is why children living in older houses or apartment buildings are at much higher risk.
Lead can also be found in old water pipes and in juices from foreign made cans.

Exposure to high levels of lead is acute lead poisoning and exposure to small amounts for a longer period of time is chronic lead poisoning.
High blood levels may also give the following symptoms of lead poisoning:

• Belly pain
  
• Headaches
  
• Vomiting
  
• Confusion
  
• Muscle weakness
  
• Seizures
  
• Hair loss
  
• Anemia

Lead poisoning testing

Screening for lead levels should start at the age of six to nine months. If the lead level in the baby’s blood is too high the doctor will give you information on what you can do to lower the lead levels in the child’s blood.

A blood level of 10 micrograms per decilitre or more is considered too high.

Treatment for lead poisoning

If the improvements in your house to decrease the child’s exposure to lead or a diet high on calcium and iron are not able to lower the lead levels in a child’s blood chelation therapy may be needed.
These chelating agents bind to the lead in the body and leave the body in the urine.
This medicine is usually given in hospital through intravenous or intramuscular injections or as an oral drug.

Prevention of lead poisoning

• Remove old paint that contains lead from the walls.
  
• Clean your house once a week with a cleaning product specially made to remove lead dust.
  
• Children should have a healthy diet rich of iron, calcium and Vitamin C.
  
• Wash children’s face and hands often.
• Let the tap run for a few minutes before you use it for drinking or cooking.
  
• Make everybody take his shoes off before entering the house to prevent lead dust coming in the house.
  
• Avoid cans and pots made outside the USA.

Lead poisoning and pregnancy

If you are pregnant you may be worried about lead level poisoning for your unborn baby.
Pregnant woman are indeed at risk because lead in mothers blood can pass the placenta to the fetus.
Lead in unborn babies can damage bones, the developing brain and other organs.

Pregnant woman exposed to lead also have an increased risk of premature birth, miscarriage, still birth and low birth weight.

How can you protect yourself?

• Have your home tested for lead in the paint and have paint removed if necessary.
  
• Don’t go near working areas where paint is been removed.
  
• Keep a healthy balanced diet.
  
• Take regular exercise.

There are home test kits available that can detect lead in water, paint, soil and dust.

Lead in Water Test Kit

Lead Test For Paint Dust

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