How Can I Protect My Child from Lead Poisoning?

Recent major recalls of imported toys have put a renewed focus on lead poisoning in children. While media attention has emphasized toys tainted by lead, the most common source of lead exposure for children is lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust in older homes - not the lead paint ingested from toys.

Lead is a soft metal that has been used for years in manufacturing glassware and plumbing fixtures, and in the past it was contained in gasoline and paint. Children may swallow harmful amounts if they play in areas where peeling or chipping lead paint accumulates in the soil and dust around a home.

Children under age 2 are particularly vulnerable, because they taste dirt, put their hands in their mouths, chew on toys and may eat without washing their hands. Lead is absorbed into their developing bodies and can stunt growth, damage the brain and kidneys, and cause anemia.

Before 1997, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that pediatricians screen children's blood for lead at ages 1 and 2.

Because blood lead levels dropped after lead was removed from gasoline and paint, the current recommendation calls for screening only children at risk for lead poisoning This includes children from lower-income families, those who live in houses built before 1978, those who have a sibling or playmate diagnosed with lead poisoning, or children who live with an adult whose job or hobby involves exposure to lead.

The AAP Committee on Environmental Health is working with government agencies to decrease the amount of "acceptable" lead in children's products. The bottom line is that no safe level of lead exposure exists. Studies have found that even low levels of lead can result in the subtle loss of IQ points.

Lead exposure has been linked to central nervous system effects, such as behavior problems and impaired mental development. High lead levels may cause overt symptoms such as abdominal pain, agitation, loss of appetite and headaches.

In testimony last year before the U.S. Energy and Commerce Subcommittee, a physician representing AAP said, "Since any measurable lead level causes lasting harm, prevention of exposure is the only treatment. Lead exposure is an important, unnecessary and preventable poisoning."

So when it comes to your children's safety, what can you do to help prevent lead poisoning? The AAP recommends the following:

•Avoid purchasing non-brand or older toys likely to contain lead paint.

•Do not give young children toy costume jewelry, since it has been associated with the highest lead content.

•Encourage your children to wash their hands frequently, especially before eating and after playing.

•Before moving into an older home or apartment, check for possible lead problems.

•If you have lead pipes, use cold water for preparing formula, drinking or cooking. Run tap water one to two minutes before each use.

•Repair areas where paint is flaking or peeling before putting cribs, playpens, beds or highchairs next to them.

Test kits can be purchased to evaluate consumer products for potential lead hazards. However, the kits may not detect lead when it is present (a false negative), and give parents a false sense of security. The only accurate way to determine lead exposure is to have your pediatrician test your child's blood.