What are the effects of lead poisoning?
Children harmed by lead exposure often need special health and educational services. The permanent health effects from lead poisoning and lead exposure include: • Developmental delays • Mental retardation • Reduced IQ • Reading and learning disabilities • Behavioral problems • Deficits in language (e.g.
A. Lead is toxic and has no known function in the human body. Exposure to lead affects primarily the peripheral nervous system and can cause impairment of hearing, vision, and muscle coordination. Lead also damages the blood, kidneys, heart and reproductive system. Lead poisoning is a particularly insidious public health threat because there may be no unique signs or symptoms. Early symptoms of poisoning may include loss of appetite, fatigue, irritability, anemia, and abdominal pain. Because of the general nature of symptoms at this stage, lead poisoning is often not suspected.
Lead may cause irreversible damage to children’s brains. As a result, lead poisoned children are seven times as likely to drop out of school as other children. Even low levels of lead exposure decrease performance in math and reading. Lead poisoning is also associated with increased delinquent and criminal behavior. At very high levels, lead poisoning can cause seizures, comas and even death. How Are Children Exposed to Lead? The major source of lead exposure among U.S. children is lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust found in deteriorating homes and buildings. Lead-based paints were banned for use in housing in 1978, however any home built before 1978 will most likely contain lead. Homes built before 1950 have the highest levels of lead because paint used in the first half of the century had a very high concentration of lead. Additionally, leaded gasoline use before 1985 put a great deal of lead into the atmosphere, which has settled in the soil. Children who live in urban area
Anyone can get lead poisoned. However, lead is most dangerous to children under the age of six. Lead poisoning can result in learning difficulties, loss of IQ, and behavioral problems that are irreversible. Lead poisoned children are likely to suffer life-long consequences as a result of their exposure at a young age. Lead can get into your body when: • You ingest dust from lead paint • You breathe dust from lead paint • You ingest lead chips • You drink tap water that has lead in it • You eat fruits or vegetables that have lead on them from the soil • You eat food that has been prepared or stored in dishes made with lead Young children put their hands, toys, and other things in their mouths. Any of these objects could have lead dust on them. If children put objects with lead dust in their mouths, they can become lead poisoned. How Do I Know if My Child is Lead Poisoned? The only way to know if your child is lead poisoned is to have your child tested. Ask your doctor about getting a le
