Lead is an insidious enemy. It can come from lead pipes, from the soil around older homes and from windowsills, floors or even the air.

It’s estimated that half a million children in the United States have high blood lead levels, a condition that can have serious long-term effects on health and mental functioning. Children at all income levels are at risk, although the burden of lead poisoning falls disproportionately on lower-income, urban families.

Young children crawl and explore new objects by putting them in their mouths, raising the likelihood of ingesting paint chips and lead-laden dust. Because their bodies and nervous systems are growing rapidly, children are also far more likely to be sensitive to toxins in their environment.

A blood lead level of 10 micrograms  per deciliter of blood or above is considered elevated, although some studies show that damage can occur at lower levels. Early symptoms of lead exposure may be absent or could  show up as headaches, stomach pain, seizures or anemia.

When lead enters the body it follows calcium to bones and also accumulates in the nervous system, muscles and fat. Severe lead exposure in early childhood can have long-term effects on a child’s cognitive development which shows up as learning problems and lower IQ scores. It also can affect behavior, leading to attention problems and aggression.

If blood lead levels are very high (30 to 35 mg/dL or higher), chelating agents are usually prescribed. These are organic compounds that form a bond with the lead and are able to remove it from the child’s system. Controlled studies of the effectiveness of chelating agents have shown mixed results, however, leading public health officials to stress that prevention is the single most effective weapon against lead poisoning.

 

Making Homes Safe

The two most common sources of lead in the home environment are water and paint. Armed with that knowledge, parents and public health officials can work to ensure that children have safe living spaces and drinking water.

Lead can be introduced into the water supply through lead pipes, which were common in homes built before 1920. Even if your house has copper pipes, lead solder was still commonly used on plumbing fixtures until 1986 when it was banned.

If you’re unsure about the water in your home, you can have it tested for lead. And if the levels are high, there are solutions that stop short of replacing all the plumbing in your home. 

Lead levels are likely to be highest when water has been standing in pipes. If you live in an older home, let the water  run for a few minutes first thing in the morning to help flush lead-tainted water from the system.

Water filters mounted on the faucet can also help clear lead from drinking water. Many products are available that can reduce lead levels below the Environmental Protection Agency’s standard of 15 parts per billion (ppb). To be effective, however, the filter must be either cleaned or replaced on a regular schedule.

Hot water pipes are more likely to leach lead, so homeowners should avoid using hot water from the tap for cooking or making tea or coffee.

Lead paint is the major culprit for home contamination, especially in older urban areas. It’s estimated that lead-based paint is present in 57 million homes in the United States.

Older homes typically have lead-based paint which was not banned until 1978. Lead levels are a special concern for children living in inner cities where the housing stock is in poor repair.

Lead chips and dust can come from windows, walls, doors, stairs and floors. A toddler looking out a window or crawling across a painted floor can pick up lead-laden dust or lead chips that can be inhaled or transferred hand to mouth.

Getting rid of lead-based paint in an old building is expensive and runs the risk of creating dangerous levels of lead-laden dust during the process.

Programs today tend to focus on measures aimed at minimizing lead contamination by replacing window frames in poor repair and ensuring that areas that have been painted over are in good repair with no chipping and peeling.

Homeowners can control the amount of lead dust in homes by regularly mopping floors and sponging walls, furniture and woodwork. Carpets should be cleaned with a HEPA vacuum.

Painted porches on older homes are another possible source of lead chips and dust that can be tracked into homes on shoes.

Screening children who live in high risk areas of the country is one preventive strategy. Chicago is known to have a number of high-risk residential areas, and Illinois requires lead screening in a number of high risk zip codes.

Physicians are supposed to ask parents a number of questions to determine a child’s risk and test the child annually if they are in a high risk environment.

Many children fall through the cracks, however, and even when lead poisoning is discovered, treatment and corrective action are complicated and difficult, especially for families living in poverty.

One study found that children living in Chicago are 12 times more likely to have elevated blood lead levels when compared with children across the nation. And although treatment can help control future damage, it can’t undo damage that lead may have already caused.

Lead poisoning takes a disproportionate toll on the poorest Americans, but the biggest risk factor is living in an older home. Any child may also be exposed by going to a home of a relative or babysitter with lead contamination.

Less common sources of lead poisoning include some French ceramic dinner ware (now off the market), old metal miniblinds and some imported children’s jewelry and candies.

Families living in older homes should have their children tested  so any problems can be identified and acted on promptly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends universal screening of children between 12 and 24 months of age who: