Know the Danger of Lead Poisoning in Your Children

With yet one more recall of children's toys that have lead based paint on them, many parents are questioning the toy manufacturing industry. Concerned parents are wondering if many of the other toys their children are playing with each day also contain lead paint.

While testing every toy is not an option, the best thing to do is to completely understand the signs, causes, symptoms and treatments of lead poisoning. There are also several things you can do to be sure your child's living space is safe from lead!

Almost all houses that were constructed prior to 1978 contain lead paint. Paint was commonly based with lead before there were any known complications of the compound. Lead paint is not an issue until it begins to deteriorate which leads to chipping, peeling and excess dust.

As your child is living in the house, they may accidentally come across these chips and ingest them. Once in your child's system, the lead can begin too do its damage. The dust that is created through natural aging and wearing of your house and painted surfaces can release the lead into the air throughout your home. This lead dust is then inhaled by your child and enters the child's bloodstream.

The reason children are so much more susceptible to lead poisoning that adults are is due to their small size and developing systems. Children are also much more tactile, and touch items and also put them in their mouth. These are natural parts of the learning process a child must go through, so as a parent you must make sure the safety steps are followed through for them.

Once lead is in a child's body, the brain, kidneys, nervous system and red blood cells are all affected. Very high levels of lead in your child's blood can cause very serious conditions; such has mental retardations, coma, seizure, and even possibly death. Even low levels of lead can be a cause of a developmental or behavioral problem in your young child. Lead may affect the natural learning ability of your child.

Being aware of even the slightest symptoms or change in your child is of utmost importance when it comes to lead poisoning. Common symptoms are not very specific, but may include headache, excessive tiredness, lack of appetite, stomach pain and general irritability. Since these symptoms are all so vague, it is hard to pinpoint a lead poisoning incident. For these reasons, the healthcare departments have recommended a lead screening blood test at your child's well baby check up between 9 and 18 months.

This is a simple blood test that is the only way to know if your child has high lead levels in their bloodstream. The test does require the drawing of blood from your young child. The blood is often drawn via a finger poke, but some clinics may draw blood from a vein as well. The blood will then be sent to the lab for testing and the results will be sent back to your child's doctor.

There are ways to test the lead levels in and around your home. Test kits can be purchased at many hardware stores to check you paint. These tests include a swab that can detect lead on many surfaces. Many county extension offices can offer you a soil sample test to check for lead in the soil around your house as well. Painting all surfaces with a lead free paint and maintaining the paint cover will also minimize the potential of lead poisoning in your home.

Knowledge is always power. Being aware of your home lead potential is the greatest way to prevent your children from lead poisoning and the harmful affects that result from it. If you ever question the health and well-being of your child, bring it to your doctor's attention immediately.