In this rapidly developing world, human race has crossed many milestones; there are so many amazing developments that have made our life so easy to live. But have ever thought about what we are doing to our environment? How safe is the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. The fact is – nobody can say it for sure as everything around us is contaminated, to the more the air we breathe is also not as pure as it should be. We breathe in so many hazardous gases, dusts, and microbes that can result in severe health complications. The risk of any such contamination is higher in children as they have a weak immune system and immature organs, that can be easily targeted. If there are young kids at home, it is very important to locate if there is any hazardous thing around the house that increases the risk of lead exposure.
Lead and its effect
Lead is one of the naturally occurring substances that are found in soil and air. Lead is a very strong poison that when swallowed or inhaled, can result in severe health hazards. Children below the age of 6 are at higher risk because their body easily absorbs lead and hinders the growth. Long term exposure to lead can cause headache, weakness and pain in the muscle and joint, behavioral problem like irritability, excessive tiredness – lethargy, loss of appetite, loss of concentration, persistent metallic taste in mouth, nausea, vomiting, constipation, and abdominal pain. In newborns, lead poisoning can slow down their physical and mental development. It affects many organs and hinders the neurological development. Parents who notice these symptoms in their kids may least think that it is due to lead poisoning. And most of the kids do not show any symptoms at all. Lead can cross the placental barrier and affect the developing fetus, therefore, pregnant women and women in child bearing age should be aware of their environment.
Common sources of lead
Lead is a naturally occurring product that is been used for centuries in many house hold products. Lead can get into our body either by inhalation or by ingestion (eating). The incidence of lead poisoning in children is about 4% in US. The common sources of lead are
- Old paint with lead (paints used before 1978 contains lead in it)
- Older house (as houses built before 1960 used lead paint)
- Renovating a old house can result in lead dust
- Construction materials
- As kids explore their world by licking and chewing things around, kids living in old home can lick a toy with lead dust or lead paint chip
- Through air (lead dust)
- Through water that flows through lead pipes or faucets
- Fruit juices stored in foreign-made cans and improperly fired ceramic cans
- In soil, by contamination with long term car exhaust
- Lead was used in gasoline (but not now)
- Painting set and some art supplies contain lead
- Storage batteries
- Some cosmetics
Unfortunately, lead cannot be seen, tasted or smelled.
How can I tell if I have lead sources in my home?
To know whether lead is present in our home, it is important to find out when the house was built; was it built before 1977 and if yes, then be careful as it might contain lead paint. Secondly, give importance to the way the house was maintained, is it clean, and are the carpets, furniture, and floor washed often? How is the paint surface, and has the house been painted twice or thrice in the past 10 to 15 years. If the house is next to heavily travelled road or highway or near a bridge or near a renovating building site, then lead soil test is needed as the soil may be contaminated with lead. As lead cannot be tasted, smelled or seen the only way to find out lead in water is by testing it.
Tips to lower lead poisoning in children
Below are few tips to lower lead poisoning in children.
- If living in a old house built before 1977 then it is better to have the kid’s blood tested for lead
- Keep kids away from peeling paints, clean all peeling paint and wall up to 5 feet from ground
- Repaint the house to cover lead paint
- Never try to remove paint by sanding as it may release many lead particles
- If an old house is being renovated then stay away from the place or seal the working placing with plastic sheets over the doorways and windows
- If living in an area with many old houses or near a busy street or near a construction site it is better to remove the shoes outside the home to prevent lead from soil entering the house
- Inculcate the habit of washing hands and face before eating anything
- Dust the home as often as possible
- Discard old painted toys, car exhausts
- Allow tap water to run for a minute before using it
- Change the water piping system if it was built before 1970, as in olden days copper pipes and lead solder were used
- Feed kids with diet high in iron, calcium, and vitamin C
Parents can also call the local health department and ask them to check for any lead sources in and around the house. Parents living in high risk zone should ensure that their children between the age group 6 months to 6 years are screened for lead in their blood.
Treatment for high lead in blood
A blood test can help find out the level of lead in the blood. Lead higher than 10 microgram/deciliter (mcg/dL) is definitely a matter of concern and the values between 2 to 10 mcg/dL should be discussed with doctor. Entry into the emergency room is not required until the level of lead is exceptionally high. Fortunately, only a small number of children have high level of lead in their blood. Parents, whose kids are diagnosed with moderate level of lead, will be advised to find out all possible source of lead and keep children away from them. A regular follow-up blood test will be required until the level falls under normal range. In case of high level of lead in the blood, kids will be treated with chelation therapy, which include giving chelating agent either as intravenous or intramuscular injections or by mouth. Chelating agents binds to lead and removes it from the body. Children with lead poisoning are usually iron deficient therefore doctor may prescribe iron supplement to such kids.
Conclusion
Lead poisoning is very common, but lead usage has been considerably reduced since the late 1970’s once the hazardous effects of lead were discovered. But still lead continues to pose health hazards and is still one of the most important causes of health complications in children. Remember lead poisoning is not a poor person’s problem nor it is a problem of the past or a regional issue. Any amount of lead is harmful, especially to kids below 2 years of age. To prevent all these complications and health hazards caused by lead, parents should know the risk, always stay informed, and learn ways to protect their kids.
