Lead has long been recognized as a
harmful environmental pollutant.
There are many ways in which
humans are exposed to lead and most of
the time we may not even be aware
of it. Airborne lead enters the
body when an individual breathes
in lead particles or swallows some
lead dust. Until recently, the most important airborne
source of
lead was automobile exhaust. Since 1975, there has been a 95 percent
reduction in the use of lead in
gasoline due to the Environmental
Protection Agency's Phasedown
Program and the replacement of older
cars with newer cars that require
the use of unleaded gasoline.
Seeking out sources of lead in the
household and surrounding areas
can be crucial in safeguarding
your family members, especially
children and pets. It has now been determined that the effects
from
lead paint, household dust, lead
crystal and some imported pottery.
Children are considered to be at
the greatest risk of exposure because
they have such intimate contact
with the environment. Their faster
metabolism causes them to eat more
for their body weight and to breathe
faster.
Children also tend to play and
breathe closer to the ground where lead
dust concentrates. They are also likely to put their hands in
their
mouths, which can bring lead just
directly into their bodies.
Parents can take several steps to
help protect their children from the
effects of lead within the home
environment. Cover peeling or exposed
paint with wood paneling or vinyl
wallpaper. Stripping off the paint
will release more lead into the
environment, and a new coat of paint
can itself peel, re-exposing the
paint beneath it.
Also, lead and lead salts are
toxic to pets. Pets are naturally
curious and are prone to claw,
scratch and pick at peeling materials.
To minimize the risk to your pet,
watch what they pick up in their
mouths! These toxic lead salts can be found in such
common things as
insecticides and linoleum.
Be careful when doing any kind of
remodeling such as removing old
paint, replacing linoleum on
floors, counters, etc. Keep pets and
children away from work sites and
building materials. Properly
dispose of any leaded materials
and remove them promptly from the
premises. Know the possible signs of lead poisoning,
vomiting,
diarrhea, abdominal pain, lack of
appetite, irritability,
listlessness, hysteria or
convulsions. When a pet shows
gastrointestinal as well as
neurological symptoms, lead poisoning
could be the culprit and you
should contact the vet as soon as
possible.
Many water mains are still made of
lead, so household water should
be tested for lead content. If lead is present in the water, allow
it to run for a few minutes before
using it. Use cold or bottled
water to prepare foods or infant's
formula because hot water tends
to leech more lead. Iron deficiency anemia is a common problem
among one and two year olds that
predisposes them to eating nonfood
substances and causes them to
absorb more of the lead taken into
their bodies.
If lead exposure is suspected,
consult your health department
about appropriate removal and
clean-up procedures. Also, people
who may have been exposed to lead
or lead dust recently should
have the lead levels in their
blood tested by their doctor or local
health department.
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