There are an estimated 300,000-400,000 children in the United States with lead poisoning. These numbers are down two-thirds of what they were a decade ago. Although education and public awareness programs have had a significant impact on the number of children with lead poisoning, the numbers remain high. The National Safety Council estimates 39 million homes are still at risk.

Uses of Lead

The oldest known use of lead was in Turkey. Around 6500 B.C. a statue of lead was erected. During the Roman Empire lead was used to line drinking vessels, utensils and glaze ceramic pottery. In more recent years, lead had been used to produce paint, protect healthcare workers from radiation, for ammunition and fishing weights. It is used to solder copper water lines and make batteries.

White lead pigment was developed in the 17th century. Lead production was a laborious process and many workers became ill and died from lead exposure. Lead was recognized to cause illness and death over a century ago but lead poisoning continues to plague the United States today.

History of Lead

Lead poisoning is one of the most common environmental health problems. In order to understand why lead poisoning continues to be prevalent in the United States, one must understand its history.

1897

Doctors in Australia were the first to recognize that paint and childhood illnesses had a connection.

1909

France, Belgium and Austria ban lead-based paint

1910

The House of Representatives conducted a hearing to introduce a bill to ban lead-based paint. Great Britain was among those countries who realized the dangers of lead. That same year another bill was introduced that called for Federal intervention in regulating the manufacture, sale and use of any paint containing white lead. Included in the bill was a requirement that all lead-based paints have a warning label on them that read “Poison: White Lead”. A skull and crossbones were to be put on the label. The bill did not pass.

1921

The 3rd International Labor Conference of the League of Nations met. Four hundred delegates from forty nations discussed lead regulation. The United States did not attend the conference and did not agree to the resolution to ban lead-based paint from homes. The president of National Lead Company admitted that lead is a poison.

1922

Greece and Tunisia ban lead-based paint.

1924

Czechoslovakia bans lead-based paint.

1926

Great Britain and Sweden ban lead-based paint.

1927

Poland bans lead-based paint.

1930’s

Specialists recognize lead as a hazard to children. The lead industry began waging campaigns to promote the use of lead-based paint in the United States.

1931

Yugoslavia bans lead-based paint.

1934

Cuba bans lead-based paint.

1938

The lead industry launched a campaign to dispel public fear about lead. Babies and children were shown in the ads touching paint “without harm”. Painting toys, cribs and furniture was encouraged.

1940

The campaign expanded to include the promotion of using lead-based paint in municipal, state and county institutions including schools, court houses and health facilities.

1943

Time magazine ran an article that alerted people to the dangers of lead. The Lead Industries Association refuted the report.

1952

Director of Health & Safety of the Lead Industries Association noted 197 reports of lead poisoning with 40 deaths. The Director was quoted as saying childhood lead poisoning was a “major headache”.

1956

Parade magazine ran an article that was titled “Don’t Let Your Child Get Lead Poisoning”. It reached seven million readers.

1970

Federal legislation prohibited use of lead-based paint in federal and subsidized buildings.

1978

The Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the sale of lead-based paint in the United States.

During the period of 1910-1978 over 4,000 tons of lead pigment was used in the United States. Millions of homes were painted with lead based paint during this period of time. Although the sale of lead-based paint is now prohibited, the tragic effects continue to haunt us today.

What is Lead Poisoning?

Although not as prevalent as a decade ago, lead poisoning in the United States continues to be a source of concern for health care providers. It only takes a small amount of lead to cause lead poisoning. When lead gets into the system it alters the way nerve cells signal each other, causing nervous system damage and effects to other major organs in your body.

Before 1978 health care facilities, federal buildings, and schools were painted with lead-based paint. Removal of the paint has been accomplished in most of these buildings but unfortunately, millions of homes still have lead-based paint on the interior and exterior.

Who’s at Risk?

Lead exposure can harm unborn babies. Infants, children and pregnant women are considered more at risk than other segments of the population. People who work with lead, do demolition work, weld or work in lead dust can become lead toxic.

How Do We Get Lead Poisoning?

 Lead poisoning can be introduced into the system by ingestion and breathing it in. It does not absorb through the skin. Ingestion can occur when putting an object with lead dust into the mouth or eating paint chips. Sanding or altering lead paint in any way can stir up tiny dust particles in the air and when it is breathed in, lead poisoning can occur.

Where Does Lead Come From?

• Paint- 75% of houses and other buildings built before 1978 have lead-based paint. When the paint is in good condition it does not pose a threat. When it chips and peels however, it can make a child very ill. One source of lead poisoning is from children putting small chips of paint in their mouths. Toys, furniture, porches, fences, window sills and window wells, doors and door frames can potentially be painted with lead based paint. Lead free paint is used today and unless the lead-based paint has been removed, it can be a source of poisoning for young children.
• Dust- Lead dust is a very fine, almost invisible dust. Where there is lead paint, there is potentially lead dust. Window sills and window wells are common places lead dust can be found. Children can get the dust on their hands, and if not washed off, can introduce the lead into their system by putting their hands in their mouths.
• Soil- Peeling exterior paint can contaminate the soil near the foundations of homes. Lead based paints and gasoline with lead are used very little now, but in the past were mainly responsible for lead in the soil. Lead moves very slowly through the soil. It is found in its highest concentrations near building foundations and within a few feet of busy streets. Since plants do not take up large quantities of lead from the soil, concentrations of lead would have to be high to get lead poisoning from the garden. A child eating dirt would have the greatest risk of lead poisoning from the soil.
• Water- In the past, lead pipes (now banned) that carried the water supply throughout homes was the cause of lead poisoning. Lead solder on copper pipes has also been known to cause lead poisoning, especially if water has been sitting in pipes for a long period of time without the pipes being flushed. Solder is now lead free but many homes have old, lead soldered pipes that continue to carry water through them.
• Folk Remedies- Some folk remedies have been reported to have lead content in them. Greta and Azarcon are Hispanic remedies used for upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, and teething babies. They are orange powders that have a high lead content. A brown Indian remedy, Ghasard, has also been found to contain lead. Ba-baw-san is a Chinese herbal medicine that is used to treat colic.
• Candy- Lead has been found in some candy imported from Mexico. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has developed tighter guidelines for the import of candy into the United States. Lead has also been found in some wrappers of imported candy.
• Toys- Antique toys can be a source of lead for children. Getting lead dust on their hands and putting their hands or the toy into their mouth can be dangerous. Some jewelry has lead in it. If not ingested, the lead item is no danger to a child, but if the item is put in the mouth or swallowed, it can make a child very ill. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a policy that addresses lead in children’s jewelry.
• Lead can be found in ceramics and pottery, leaded crystal china, fishing sinkers, some health foods and cosmetics.

Health Effects of Lead

Lead can cause a wide range of health effects. These include:

• Damage to the brain and nervous system

• Behavior and learning problems
• Slowed growth
• Hearing problems
• Headaches
• Health problems during pregnancy
• Reproductive problems
• High blood pressure
• Digestive problems
• Nervous disorders
• Memory or concentration problems
• Muscle and joint pain
• Mental retardation
• Seizures
• Coma
• Death

Symptoms of Lead Poisoning

The symptoms of lead poisoning can be signs of many diseases and illnesses. If you believe your child may have been exposed to lead and has some of the symptoms listed below call your doctor. The only way to be sure someone does not have lead poisoning is to be tested.

• Irritability
• Poor muscle coordination
• Fussiness
• Loss of appetite
• Stomach pain or discomfort
• Reduced attention span
• Inability to sleep
• Constipation

Prevention

There are many things you can do to decrease the likelihood that your child will be poisoned by lead. If you live in a home build before 1978, assess the paint on the interior and exterior of your home. Is it chipped and peeling or not in good condition? Remember, the only way to get rid of lead based paint is by lead abatement. This takes a professional. Call a good, reputable painter. He will know the procedure and proper methods of removing the lead paint. Paint that is intact is not a threat and should be kept in good condition.

• Wet dust and mop frequently around window sills and floors to control dust. Experts suggest using automatic dishwashing liquid or sodium triphosphate. Don’t vacuum hardwood floors. It will scatter lead dust.
• Hand washing is one of the most basic yet important actions you can take to prevent lead poisoning. Wash a child’s face and hands before eating. Washing toys and play items frequently will remove any possible lead dust.
• Don’t let children play near the foundation of your home if the exterior paint is lead based. Plant ground cover or bushes near the foundation of your home if you suspect your soil is contaminated.
• If the water has not been run in more than six hours, let it run until it changes temperature. This normally doesn’t take a long time, but the purpose is to flush the line and fill it with fresh water. Generally you can tell when the line has fresh water because it will become a little cooler.
• Don’t store food in open cans, pottery meant for decorative use, lead crystal or china.
• If an adult works with lead at their job or with a hobby they should shower before going home and launder their clothes separately.
• If your home has lead based paint, renovation should not be done as a “do-it-yourself” project. Paint should be removed by an expert. Sanding, propane torches, heat guns and sandpaper should never be used by an inexperienced person on lead paint. There are certain methods for lead abatement.

What Is Being Done About Lead Poisoning?

The effects of lead poisoning can be devastating to a family. Public awareness and education have dramatically decreased the number of children being poisoned by lead. The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences is studying the effects of low levels of lead in children. The Federal Government has instituted a broad range of prevention and educational measures. Health care providers continue to warn families about the health effects lead poisoning can cause.

Landlords are mandated by the Federal Government to disclose lead based paint in the home. Renovators must give the family information about lead paint in a pamphlet titled, “Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home”.

Testing

The only way to tell for sure if someone has lead poisoning is by getting a blood test. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommends testing children at twelve months and twenty-four months of age. Any child who has been exposed to lead should be tested. Some states require testing by law at certain ages.

If you don’t know if your home has lead based paint, have it inspected. There are home test kits that can be purchased, however these have been deemed unreliable and inaccurate and should not be used.