Childhood Lead Poisoning
Every year several children in Jackson County are found to have elevate blood lead levels and lead poisoning. This condition is usually discovered when testing is done at well-child visits at the doctor’s office. It is recommended that children be screened for blood lead, at a minimum, at one year and again at age two.
The biggest source of concern is lead paint that is found in many older structures and homes in Jackson County, however, there are many other sources that range from dishes, home remedies, toys, soil and water, the jobs and hobbies of adults living in the same home, and other sources. Take time to learn about possible lead sources in your home to help keep everyone safe.
A child who comes in contact with lead-contaminated dust, soil, or paint chips is easily poisoned. All it takes is hand-to-mouth activity, which is perfectly normal for young children to engage in. Just the lead dust equivalent to a sugar packet is enough for a child to have lead poisoning, with potentially serious consequences.
Young children under the age of six are especially vulnerable to lead’s harmful health effects, because their brains and central nervous systems are still being formed. For them, even very low levels of lead exposure can result in reduced IQ, learning disabilities, attention deficit disorders, behavioral problems, stunted growth, impaired hearing, and kidney damage.
Symptoms of childhood lead poisoning may include developmental delay, learning difficulties, irritability, loss of appetite, weight loss, sluggishness or fatigue, abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, hearing loss, seizures, among others.
Since there is no safe level of lead in the body, it is important to work to prevent lead poisoning. Home maintenance is an important part of lead poisoning prevention, check your home for chipping and peeling lead-based paint and other potential lead hazards. Common home renovation work, such as repairs and painting, can disturb lead-based paint, creating hazardous lead dust, which can harm both adults and children.
Another important part of lead poisoning prevention comes from nutrition and diet. We know that regular, well-balanced meals are important for children’s growth and development, but research has also shown that getting enough iron in a child’s diet can help to lower the amount of lead they absorb. This is important because both lead exposure and iron deficiency can harm a child’s development. Iron rich food to offer your children may include lean meat, fish, chicken, dried beans, or peas.
Although children are primarily at risk, lead poisoning is also dangerous for adults. Adults can be exposed to lead in a variety of ways. The most common ways adults are exposed to lead include job, hobbies, remedies, and habits. Common symptoms of lead poisoning in adults include nausea, constipation, upset stomach, fatigue, impaired concentration, hearing loss, and joint pain, among others. Lead poisoning in adults can have long-term effects such as decreased fertility and high blood pressure. Symptoms will often become more severe with a higher level of exposure; however, some people may show no symptoms at all. The only way to be certain someone has lead poisoning is to do a blood lead test.
Remember, there is no safe level of lead in the body. That’s why it is important to protect ourselves from lead exposure.
Jackson County: Healthy People, Strong Community.
