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TOMS RIVER, New Jersey, September 20, 2007--- While lead poisoning in American children has decreased by about 86 percent since the late 1970s, recent headlines about large-scale recalls of lead-tainted toys point to the need for vigilance in identifying lead risks, say child health experts at Community and Kimball Medical Centers
“Lead is especially dangerous for children,” says Norman Indich, M.D., chairman of pediatrics at Kimball Medical Center, Lakewood. “A child who is exposed to lead may develop anemia, severe stomachache, muscle weakness and brain damage. Even low levels of lead are linked to lower IQ scores.”
Lead is a soft, highly toxic metal. It occurs naturally in the earth, but is spread through the environment by human activities. For many years it was used in products found in and around homes, including paint and gasoline.
Until 1978, lead paint was commonly used on the interiors and exteriors of homes. Deteriorated lead paint in older housing remains the most common source of lead exposure for children in the United States.
“Children are more sensitive than adults to the effects of lead,” says Lionel Foz, M.D., who chairs the Department of Pediatrics at Community Medical Center in Toms River.
“Most vulnerable are young children under the age of 5 for a variety of reasons, including the fact that their body and brain are still developing. Two year olds tend to have the highest blood level concentration because they put many things into their mouth, including toys or other products that may become lead contaminated.”
“All it takes is hand-to-mouth activity, which is perfectly normal for young children to engage in,” adds Dr. Indich. “Lead dust equivalent of a single grain of salt is all it takes for a child to register an elevated blood lead level.”
Blood tests are used to measure the concentrations or amount of lead in blood and are commonly used to detect lead poisoning in children, according to Dr. Foz.
“Lead can get into your body in two ways: through breathing it in or by eating it,” he says. “For example, lead from paint can enter your body through eating or inhaling dust or paint chips. Lead can also enter your drinking water through your plumbing.”
Children must be protected from being exposed in the first place, the physicians stress.
“Although there are medications that have lowered blood lead about 25 percent in the short term, it did not improve IQ or other test scores,” Dr. Indich says. “This reinforces the need for prevention, as treatment after the fact does not undo the damage caused by lead.”
“Prevention is the best way to stop lead poisoning,” adds Dr. Foz “You and your child’s doctor are in an excellent position to prevent and detect lead poisoning.”
People who live in an older home should check with their local health department about any lead that may be in the tap water used for drinking and cooking, he says.
For more information on lead and other environmental factors that impact health, visit the National Institutes of Health Web site at http://www.niehs.nih.gov . For a referral to a Community or Kimball pediatrician, cal 1-888-SBHS-123 (888-724-7123).
Contact: Kathleen Horan
Public Relations and Marketing
(732) 557-3909
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