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Get the Lead Out…

You may remember the massive product recalls of children’s toys made in China – the ones that made front-page news. Roughly 10 million toys were recalled because they posed a lead paint hazard for small children.

What’s the problem with lead? It’s toxic, and it’s found primarily in toys, paint in older homes, and dust. The problem with it, like so many other conditions, is that lead poisoning is “silent” until it reaches a level where it does damage. In children, blood lead levels that exceed 10 micrograms per deciliter are considered dangerous, while in adults, that level is 20 micrograms per deciliter.

Relatively low levels of exposure can cause lowered IQ, ADD/ADHD, learning disabilities, behavioral problems, stunted growth, hearing difficulties and kidney damage. High levels of exposure can result in mental retardation, coma and even death.

Children under the age of six are most vulnerable due to the fact that their brains and central nervous systems are still in the developmental stages. Those who live in older homes or in poorer areas are also more at risk.

And it’s not just the lead-based paint that you have to worry about. Often times, lead-laden dust collects in and around old, falling down buildings. When children play in these areas, or in dirt that has been contaminated by lead-based paint, they can get it on their hands, their toys, even on the bottom of their shoes, which then carry the lead into their homes.

Lead can also turn up in drinking water due lead pipe plumbing, lead solder that is used to join brass pipes, and lead fixtures. Also, hot water is more likely to contain higher concentrations of lead, so it’s best to use cold water for cooking and drinking.

Another source of lead-based paint is ceramic pottery, particularly if it is made in Mexico, Asia or South America, so it’s best not to eat from ceramic plates or drink from ceramic mugs.

Soil can be a source of lead as well. Be sure to wash your fruits and vegetables before you cook or eat them because the soil in which they were grown could have been contaminated with lead. If your home is older and you plan to do some renovating or remodeling, find out how to test the paint on the walls for lead, so no one is in harm’s way.

Remember… lead remains in the body for a long time and repeated exposure builds on what is already there. Want to safeguard your family? Then… get the lead out!