Lead Poisoning is Still Something To Be Concerned About

Lead is one of a number of substances termed a "heavy" metal, all of which are either very difficult or impossible for the body to process out. [Link href to Chelation Therapy, Chelation Products]

Lead poses the greatest danger to babies and young children whose developing brains and neurological systems are very susceptible to its devastating effects, which include learning disabilities, behavioral problems, reduced IQ, mental retardation, academic failure, brain damage, neuropsychological deficits, hyperactive behavior and attention deficit disorder, antisocial (criminal) behavior, as well as seizures, coma, and death at very high levels.  Make no mistake that it is a deadly chemical.

The good news is that since its use as a motor fuel additive was banned in 1968 and its inclusion in house paints also subsequently prohibited, the average levels of lead found in children's blood has dropped significantly over the past 20 years.  Nonetheless, The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) found that about 1.7 million US children under the age of six still had blood levels above the Center for Disease Control's "safe" level.

Here are the major tips for avoiding lead contamination.  More information is available and if you have young children in a home that was built or painted prior to 1978 (which includes an estimated 83 percent of privately owned housing units built in the US), we urge you to seek it out by calling the National Lead Information Center at 1-800 424 LEAD.

1.  If you have small children in an older home with double-hung windows, only open the top window.  This reduces the amount of tiny paint chips from oxidizing paint that rain down onto the window sills and floors in the area of the window.  If you do keep the bottom window open, the area should be mopped frequently with a solution of trisodium phosphate (TSP).

2.  If you're doing remodeling, again, we urge you to seek more information from the National Lead Information Center at 100-424-LEAD.  Lead paint removal is complicated and preventing contamination will require either a lot of planning, or the services of a qualified contractor.  Plan your remodeling so that children will not be around when old paint is removed.  You must also be careful that paint removed from the outside of the structure does not fall down on the ground around the home as it will contaminate the soil.

3.  Before drinking tap water (we don't think that in most cases, this is a very good idea anyway), let it run at least one to three minutes in the morning or anytime it has not been used for six hours orlonger.  Tap water standing in old pipes may dissolve unhealthy amoungs of lead from pipes or solder.  A good quality filter, however, will eliminate lead. [Link href to Water Filters]

4.  When installing or repairing plumbing, make sure the solder used is lead free.

5.  Avoid eating and drinking from imported ceramics, china and crystal that may contain lead.    

6.  If you have an old bathtub, replace it with a new one not covered with a lead-based glaze.

7.  Do not eat vegetables or fruits grown very close to busy roads or highways.  Residual contamination from leaded gasoline may still be in the soil.