Lead poisoning
- Thread starter angelsue
- Start date
@sounddoctrine Interesting, thank you. That makes sense, it was incredibly inexpensive.
alexhunting
New member
@alexhunting Can be both. In our case it was an old house with lead paint, but lead can be found in the soil around older houses, in the pipes, on toys... It's worth reading up on. https://tamararubin.com/
@alexhunting I think lead was taken out of paint around 1976 in the US. I have a graph showing environmental lead levels and legislative changes in a presentation I did a few years ago on lead toxicity but I'm about to walk into work.
In a lot of older US homes, and particularly low income rentals, the paint is often still present and has just been painted over. I've been kids with dangerously elevated levels as the paint chips off, or in kids with autism who chew the windowsills/eat the paint chips.
In a lot of older US homes, and particularly low income rentals, the paint is often still present and has just been painted over. I've been kids with dangerously elevated levels as the paint chips off, or in kids with autism who chew the windowsills/eat the paint chips.
@alexhunting We bought a house built in the mid 1800s when my son was 7mo old. You can tell there's lead paint under a couple layers based on how the paint is chipping. They mentioned a lead test requirement at 1y, but it slipped minds. We just did it at 2y & the results came back fine. However, he hasn't eaten paint chips, I've repainted the window trims of the windows he tends to look out of, & we never open any of the original windows (partly because they're painted shut, & partly because of potential lead dust). And a diet high in calcium, iron, & vitamin C can help mitigate lead buildup in blood. 
They did not do a finger prick though. I asked when I called to schedule & they did a full blood draw. They said the next lead test would be required before starting school.
If we can ever get ahead financially, the eventual plan is to just replace windows one room at a time, along with window & door trim. I just don't have the time or energy to restore the original windows. I tried to start stripping one & it was too involved. Painting over the old paint is at least holding it all together to prevent further chipping for the time being.
They did not do a finger prick though. I asked when I called to schedule & they did a full blood draw. They said the next lead test would be required before starting school.
If we can ever get ahead financially, the eventual plan is to just replace windows one room at a time, along with window & door trim. I just don't have the time or energy to restore the original windows. I tried to start stripping one & it was too involved. Painting over the old paint is at least holding it all together to prevent further chipping for the time being.
katrina2017
New member
@alexhunting Are there still lead water pipes in Canada and do most people drink tap water? If yes, they should have screenings. Unless the water gets tested for lead.
alexhunting
New member
@katrina2017 I looked around and found this:
https://www.bcchr.ca/research/stories/what-can-bc-parents-do-protect-their-kids-lead-water#:~:text=In%20the%20Metro%20Vancouver%20area,homes%20from%20old%20plumbing%20fixtures.
But they don't mention testing for lead as bloodwork :/ I haven't heard of any of my friends kids being tested for it. Not sure why there's that practice difference
https://www.bcchr.ca/research/stories/what-can-bc-parents-do-protect-their-kids-lead-water#:~:text=In%20the%20Metro%20Vancouver%20area,homes%20from%20old%20plumbing%20fixtures.
But they don't mention testing for lead as bloodwork :/ I haven't heard of any of my friends kids being tested for it. Not sure why there's that practice difference
@angelsue My kiddo tested just below the limit for emergency medical intervention (39 and immediate chelation therapy is recommended at 45). We live in a home that was built in ~1865 in New England, where lead paint is a widespread problem and testing is automatically done at 1 and 2 years. It's not at all uncommon to have elevated lead levels, it's the most common serious health problem for kids in this age range here. Despite that, I didn't know it was such a huge problem or that we were at serious risk of lead poisoning, it was devastating to get those results. We've spent months mitigating the risks on our own and are participating in a state program to have our entire house (interior and exterior) remediated for lead. It's going to cost $70k. My kid is still testing higher ( ~10) after a year but is so far ahead of his age group developmentally, and we're hoping the number continues to go down. I learned a lot from the numerous inspections and interventions we've had with the state health department, and bottom line is lead is everywhere. Even modern paint isn't lead free, it's just a lower amount, and exterior paint still has higher amounts than you think. The main risk factor isn't actual lead paint chips either, it's lead paint DUST which is dispersed from any rub point that has lead paint in it, so doors and windows opening and closing are the usual culprits. Dirt outside, dust in your house, and even dust from roads are high in lead if you live in an area where old houses are common. Washing hands, toys, not touching windows, not eating dirt (you know, accidentally) or gardening in untested dirt, and always using lead safe practices when doing any kind of renovation or house project are absolutely necessary to protect kids from lead poisoning. It's been a horrible experience and I had no idea we were at such risk, luckily my kiddo is okay but we have had over a year of trying to solve this problem and we're still not done.
@angelsue Thank you! One last piece of info is that exposure for that lead level was less than the littlest (adult) fingernail, as in a single tiny chip of paint, so it's an incredibly small amount that needs to be ingested to have really dramatic results. It has been so scary, I wish people talked about it more! The number of times I see people sanding their Victorian houses or doing any kind of construction or painting without considering lead risks makes me so upset for them.
katrina2017
New member
@katrina2017 He actually was tested at a year and a couple of months at my request, the pediatrician's office had run out of lead tests and didn't do one at his 1 year appointment. If I hadn't gone back and requested it he could have been under the radar until his 18mo or 2 year appointment,which makes me upset to even think about.
katrina2017
New member
@jeremyd I’m so sorry. I would feel the same way. Does your ped office do a blood test on all kids at 1 and 2 yrs (when they have the tests in stock 
)? Ours only asks screening questions beginning at age 1 and then only does the blood test if the results of the questionnaire warrant it. But instead of giving the questions to the parents on paper or electronically via the portal, they just ask them verbally and I’ve found that depending on the nurse or MA, they don’t always do a thorough job. We’ve only been asked age of home even though there are like 10 other questions. And if you have old lead pipes leaching lead into the tap water and you’re making baby formula with it, checking for the first time at age 1 will be too late. Sorry, I’ve gone down a lead rabbit hole since my son’s preschool was found to have lead in the water they served to the kids (very old building).
)? Ours only asks screening questions beginning at age 1 and then only does the blood test if the results of the questionnaire warrant it. But instead of giving the questions to the parents on paper or electronically via the portal, they just ask them verbally and I’ve found that depending on the nurse or MA, they don’t always do a thorough job. We’ve only been asked age of home even though there are like 10 other questions. And if you have old lead pipes leaching lead into the tap water and you’re making baby formula with it, checking for the first time at age 1 will be too late. Sorry, I’ve gone down a lead rabbit hole since my son’s preschool was found to have lead in the water they served to the kids (very old building).@katrina2017 Oh wow that's awful I'm so sorry! I live in New England so the testing is automatically done at one and two years, though they do also go through a questionnaire to assess risk level. Can you request it just because of the risk that was identified? I think we've done a lead test at one month after the initial one, and every three months thereafter (it's been over a year now).
In relation to lead risk via water exposure -the director for the state program said that residential lead pipes or lead solder are rarely the issue if you're on city/town water due to source testing. It's more likely to be an issue if you have a well, BUT just to be safe everyone should always run water on cold for 30 seconds before using for cooking or drinking and never use hot water to cook with just to make sure the water that has been sitting in the pipes or water heater has been flushed out. As far as school buildings go though... that has also been a major issue in our area, I think because of the pipes and the water fountains. I am pretty sure every single school tested high at the fountains for lead and they've had to replace them all with RO water stations
In relation to lead risk via water exposure -the director for the state program said that residential lead pipes or lead solder are rarely the issue if you're on city/town water due to source testing. It's more likely to be an issue if you have a well, BUT just to be safe everyone should always run water on cold for 30 seconds before using for cooking or drinking and never use hot water to cook with just to make sure the water that has been sitting in the pipes or water heater has been flushed out. As far as school buildings go though... that has also been a major issue in our area, I think because of the pipes and the water fountains. I am pretty sure every single school tested high at the fountains for lead and they've had to replace them all with RO water stations
unsurebeliefs
New member
@angelsue My doctor said less (lead) is more. Regardless of guidelines, avoiding it is best.
What I do know is that in the developmental stages, lead can slow down the development of executive functions - it is one of the ways for a child to acquire adhd. Worse, lead-caused adhd is known to be treatment-resistant (this I recall from one of the many science-based adhd books I’ve recently read - can’t recall which. I was recently diagnosed).
Additionally, lead in a community is linked to higher violence overall. At the individual level, it’s not known. https://cnycentral.com/news/i-team/...e-syracuse-homicides-the-lead-paint-emergency
The good news for your kid is this: https://www.jefferson.edu/about/new...-be-reversible-with-childhood-enrichment.html
What I do know is that in the developmental stages, lead can slow down the development of executive functions - it is one of the ways for a child to acquire adhd. Worse, lead-caused adhd is known to be treatment-resistant (this I recall from one of the many science-based adhd books I’ve recently read - can’t recall which. I was recently diagnosed).
Additionally, lead in a community is linked to higher violence overall. At the individual level, it’s not known. https://cnycentral.com/news/i-team/...e-syracuse-homicides-the-lead-paint-emergency
The good news for your kid is this: https://www.jefferson.edu/about/new...-be-reversible-with-childhood-enrichment.html