Health Effects of Lead in Children

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Every day children that live in over 34 million homes across the United States suffer the consequences of being poisoned by lead-based paint.  Lead Free Kids FlyerWith tougher regulations things are improving a bit, however if your child is poisoned the effects can be devastating.  So what are the health effects of lead in children?  Lead poisoning in children can cause:

  • Decreased Intelligence
  • Attention Deficit Disorder
  • Reading Difficulties
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Hyperactivity
  • Behavioral Problems
  • Nervous System and Kidney Damage
  • Speech and Language Problems

Unfortunately the symptoms of lead poisoning are not always obvious.  Children, particularly under the age of 6 are most at risk from small amounts of lead.  While playing the children gather dust on their hands.  Normal hand to mouth contact happens, then children swallow the dust that they collected on their hands while playing.  Sadly children absorb lead at a much greater percentage than adults do.  Adults only absorb about 10% of the lead that they ingest, while children absorb about 50%.

Clearly, lead and humans aren’t a good mix.  While low-lead exposure is most common, exposure to extremely high levels of lead can have enormous consequences to a child’s health.  High levels of poisoning can lead to:

  • Seizures
  • Unconsciousness
  • In Some Cases Death

Many studies suggest that once lead has damaged a child, the damage is permanent.  You can remove the child from the exposure but the long term damage may still remain.  If you feel like you or your child may have been exposed to lead dust please contact your medical professional to schedule a blood lead level test.  Recent research indicates that even small amounts of lead in a child’s blood can have very devastating effects.

If you have questions about lead based paint, an upcoming renovation, or any safety question at all.  Please contact us by dialing 877-209-9648 or email sales@pasafety.com.  We offer Lead-Based Paint certification through the joint EPA/HUD program in ten states via open enrollment training.  We can travel to over 32 more if you have a need for several employees to be trained.