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LEAD POISONING

Exposure to lead continues to poison young children in the United States. Estimates based on data from 1999 through 2002 indicate that 310,000 U.S. children between the ages of one and five remain at risk for exposure to harmful lead levels. The U.S. estimated prevalence rate (total number of cases out of the total number screened) is 1.6% for children in this age group. However, blood lead levels (BLLs) remain higher for certain populations, especially children in minority populations, children from low-income families, and children who live in older homes. Lead exposure can cause devastating and irreversible effects.

From 1999-2003 more than 1,500 of the 29,000 St. Louis City children less than age 6 were poisoned by lead each year. The good news is that lead poisoning is entirely preventable. In 2003, Mayor Francis G. Slay introduced the “Comprehensive Action Plan to Eliminate Childhood Lead Poisoning in St. Louis by 2010”. This plan focuses on prevention of childhood lead poisoning. By 2007 the progress from the plan has helped the City reach its first important goal: to cut childhood lead poisoning in half in four years. But even with this progress, one child in 20 in the City of St. Louis has a blood lead level at or above the CDC level of concern. You have the power to help protect your children and family from the dangers of lead poisoning. Current rates of lead poisoning may be found at BY THE NUMBERS.

What is lead?

Lead is a metal that can be found in sources such as paint used in homes built before 1978, soil, water, old painted furniture and toys. Approximately 38 million homes in the United States still contain lead-based paint. Four million of these are home to one or more young children. The problem is not confined to poor families or caused mainly by children eating paint chips. It is usually the result of swallowing invisible lead dust created by chipping, peeling or flaking paint in older homes and rental units.

In St. Louis City more than 90 percent of the housing was built before 1978, the year lead in residential paint was banned. More than 60 percent of the housing in the City was built before 1950, when lead concentrations in paint were much higher. Millions of dollars are being spent to make housing lead safe. But houses that are lead safe today may poison children later if they are not properly maintained. Remember, you have the power to help protect your children and family from the dangers of lead poisoning.

Why is lead so dangerous?

Lead poisoning causes irreversible physical and mental disabilities, and can affect nearly every system in the body. The effects of lead poisoning include:

• Learning disabilities
• Attention Deficit Disorder
• Aggressive and violent behavior
• Hearing loss
• Convulsions
• Reduction of motor control/balance
• Mental retardation
• Death

Lead often enters the body when children put their hands or other objects covered with lead dust into their mouths or, less commonly, eat paint chips or soil that contains lead. Lead poisoning may also result from breathing in lead dust created during renovation or home repair.

Who is at risk for lead poisoning?

Children under the age of six are most at risk for lead poisoning. Lead disrupts proper brain development during these years.

Pregnant women, and their unborn children, are also at risk. Elevated blood lead levels in pregnant women can lead to an increased risk of miscarriage, stillbirth or low birth weight babies.

Adults are also at risk of being poisoned with effects ranging from high blood pressure to a higher risk of early death.

Where is lead most often found in your home?

We're surrounded by sources of lead throughout our environment. Small children are most often poisoned by invisible lead dust that is released when paint is peeling, damaged or disturbed. This can often be caused by the opening and closing of windows, doors that rub or old painted surfaces that have been dry sanded. The dust settles on floors and other surfaces, which can easily get on children's hands or toys and into their mouths.

Lead can be found in or caused by:

• Peeling, chipping or damaged lead-based paint on windows, doors, stairs, railings and other areas of the home
• Bare soil contaminated with lead
• Hobbies or jobs (contractors, painters, highway work, stained glass or furniture refinishing)
• Drinking water (lead pipes, solder, brass fixtures and valves can all leach lead)

Other sources of Lead Poisoning:
• Imported vinyl mini-blinds
• Candles with leaded wicks
• Old lead-glazed bath tubs
• Imported plastic toys
• Imported crayons
• Folk remedies and/or vitamins (Greta, Arzacon, Pay-loo-ah, Kohl, Kandu)
• Car batteries and paints



TEST YOUR CHILD

Symptoms of lead poisoning are difficult to detect until a child is seriously poisoned. Children in all of St. Louis City under 6 years old are required by state law to be tested for lead every year.

Insist that your child be tested if you live in the City of St. Louis and your child lives in or regularly visits a home or building built before 1978. If your health care provider will not order the test, your child may be tested for free at the City of St. Louis Department of Health Lead Health Services section at 1520 Market Street, Suite 4038. Scheduled free testing events are also offered around the City. Look for times and locations on the Calendar of this website.

What can you do to protect your children from lead poisoning?

There are many things a parent can do to help keep children safe from lead poisoning:

• Wash your hands before preparing foods.
• Make sure your child's hands, pacifier, bottles and toys are washed often.
• Do not dry scrape old paint. Only wet scrape and immediately wet clean afterwards.
• If you hire someone to make changes to your home, make sure they are certified to do lead safe renovation, repair, and painting
• Do not dry sweep. Use wet or damp cleaning methods for floors and surfaces. Always clean sponges and mop heads after use.
• Use only cold water from the tap for drinking, cooking and making baby formula. Hot water from older pipes is more likely to contain higher levels of lead.
• Avoid using materials with lead when doing hobbies or crafts.
• Use vacuums with HEPA filters. Lead Safe St. Louis has HEPA vacuums available to borrow.
• Don't let children play in bare soil.
• If you rent, notify your landlord of any chipping, peeling or flaking paint.

Information on www.leadsafestlouis.org is provided in part from documents developed by the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning: Chips Flakes Peels Dust © and Derek the Dinosaur’s Coloring Book About LEAD ©. All materials are available for jurisdiction specific customization and purchase through the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning.