What do I do about high lead exposure? My husband and I rent in the outer sunset, classic old GI-era home, and felt we should test our son (17 months) for lead given that we spend a lot of time outside in the back "yard" and that our neighbor painted her house a few years ago ( I found some paint chips when I was sweeping). We tested him two days ago and the pediatrician called today to let us know he had a blood level of 10. He called it lead exposure, not lead poisoning, and said that while it is high, it's not serious. I don't totally buy it. We feed our guy tons of vegetables and protein, organic, and keep shoes at the entranceway and clean daily -though we are not neatfreaks..yet. Any advice. I'm happy to move if needed. The state sends some lead people over tomorrow to try to trace the likely source(s). Maybe they can check out his daycare facility. I can't look my kid in the eye right now.
You really should get advice from another doctor - you don't have to stick to one doctors advice - get a second opinion.
Hi T.,
First of all when you rented your home did you receive a "Lead-based Paint Disclosure" from the landlord/prop.manager? It's state law to be put on notice.
Second of all I highly recommend you send your landlord a letter regarding the paint chips you found in the backyard so he/she is aware. The neighbor repainted and during that process there is a lot of scraping, sanding, water blasting etc. that dislodges bits to chunks of old paint.
Check with the city of S.F. health dept but I think the neighbor is responsible (or their painting contractor) for collecting and disposing of anything toxic. Also, check with the health dept. about cleaning up the soil. A long time ago I read an article about how contaminated the city parks in Oakland were from years of leaded gas exhaust settling into the soil and how many inches down it went.
You may be able to bring in some fresh top soil to help.
About his daycare center...I think the city and state licensing board must have some record of inspections done there in order to issue a license.
Lead poisoning is serious business. Keep on it!
Best to you,
AC
Dear T.,
You can always look your kid in the eye. You can.
The day you can't, is the day you will have problems.
Continue with the tests on your home. Watch your baby to make sure he doesn't ingest anything and go from there.
It doesn't sound like he is toxically ill, so you can think of it as an alert as opposed to an emergency until you have confirmation otherwise.
It's nothing you are doing or not doing. If you are in a lead environment, you can deal with getting it fixed or getting out. See what the other tests say before making a hasty decision and I wish you all the very best.
My niece had elevated levels when she was little (about 15 years ago). I remember one thing they told them to do is never use hot water for cooking, as hot water will leach more lead from the pipes. Also, when using the cold water to let it run for at least five minutes, especially first thing in the morning. They lived in a really old house at the time and the pipes were old, but it also turned out that there was lead in the paint, and she was getting most of hers from touching the walls etc and then putting her hands in her mouth. They rented, so they ended up moving after they did a check of their house, but she just graduated from high school this year and doesn't have any apparent long term effects from the exposure. You definitely want to find the source and then figure out what needs to be done to eliminate it.
Hi T.,
Good job of getting your son tested, you should feel good about that! Don't be so hard on yourself. :) You are getting to the bottom of the problem. Thank you for your post. It's gotten me thinking about lead as well.
Just a side note, I just read this on www.mayoclinic.com (you only need to run your water for 30-60 seconds, not 5 minutes as another mother wrote):
"Water. In the 1980s, Congress changed the Safe Drinking Water Act to restrict the use of lead in pipes, solder and other components used in public water systems. Lead pipes, brass plumbing fixtures and copper pipes soldered with lead can release lead particles into tap water. If you have such plumbing, let cold water run 30 to 60 seconds before drinking it. Hot water absorbs more lead than cold water does. The EPA warns against making baby formula with hot tap water from old plumbing systems."
T., I also just read this on the same website:
"For Classes I through III, ceasing exposure to lead may be sufficient to reduce lead in your body. Children in this case may need to be retested a month after being removed from the source of the lead."
(sounds like your son is class I:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lead-poisoning/FL00068/D...)
It made me really sad to read your post -especially about not being able to look your son in the eyes. It is not your fault. You are giving him the best by feeding him organic food and keeping your home clean. There are things you can do. You should see a naturopathic Dr. I know cilantro binds metals out of the body, so does N-Acetyl Cysteine. Not sure what amounts are safe for toddlers. Please take him to a naturopath. They can slowly get the lead out of his body. It is not your fault! You can look him in the eye knowing you are going to take care of his every need and do the best you can with the knowledge that you have.
You were smart enough to get him tested knowing you live in an old home. Good for you. You are on top of it. You sound like an attentive, loving mother.
D.
HI. Sorry to hear your son has had some exposure. We had to have both our kids tested because of our old house. Their results were normal.
You can buy a lead test kit at stores and online. I have used it at home and at my kids preschool. It may give you some answers as to the culprit.
Check out http://www.leadcheck.com/
I would ask your pediatrician what to do to reduce the levels, but I'd imagine that they will drop when his exposure drops.
You don't want to take any chances - I have a friend who had lead poisoning as a child from an older house and he's very hard of hearing and has multiple health problems as a result.
I'm sorry your son tested for exposure.
You shouldn't have to move, but you may need to have some abatement done on the house. I'd imagine that would be the landlord's responsibility.
Lots of protein is recommended for lead exposure. My almost 1 year old had I think a 10 as well, and we had the state come in and do a full test of the house and yard. There were tons of lead paint in the house, but it was prety much intact, so "safe". There was lead in the soil around the house, probably from decades of chipping and repainting. They didn't come up with a definitive source, but basically thought it was our dogs bringing in the lead-laden soil. We happened to be planning to move, so we got the heck out of Dodge. My advice - get the testing done, see what it says, and then move! ALso, make sure that it's not coming from his toys.
Good luck - and by the way, my son is almost 6 now and way smarter than almost anyone is know,` so "exposure" is different from "poisoning". TONS. Just get out of there, pay the money for a test before you move into the next place, and be done with it.
M.
T.:
According the Dr. Andrew Cutler (a well known scientist and biochemist) in his book: the amalgam illness:
There are a variety of lab tests for the metabolic effects of lead. Certain changes observed in a blood count are typical of lead and not of the other toxins.
Lead levels in hair, urine and blood are representative of body burden. Free erythrocyte protoporphyrin, zinc protoporphyrin and urinary aminolevulinic acid are specific test for lead intoxication.
One thing to consider is this: Lead is synergistic with mercury and other heavy metals, so lead or lead marker levels that would not otherwise be considered quite high enough to be clinically significant "should be viewed with great suspicion" if there is evidence of significant levels of other heavy metal toxins.
If your child had the hepatitis B shots, DPT or flu shots, he might have stored significant amounts of mercury (and is also important to consider if you had dental amalgams when you were pregnant or nursing -the mercury goes to the baby/fetus); mercury is cummulative -it stores in some organs and brain and only a special protocol of chelation can rid of it.
There is a recommendation to use DMSA to remove heavy metals from the body, but it is complicated and you would need special medical assistance. My son got autism from vaccines and I removed the heavy metals with chelation (for about four years) very hard and consistant work.
There is a new released guide for the safe and effective removal of heavy metals at: www.brainchildnutritionals.com/PDF/Protocol.pdf from Michael Lang's Natural Detox program -founder of Brainchild Nutritionals
You can also check out the discussion yahoo group at ChelationKids2
You will definitely want to find the source of your child's lead exposure.
you can find more info at the generation rescue site.
good luck
You need EDTA (they come in many forms)
and other supplements to support mathylation pathways and your organs while detoxing!!!
I have done it and feel so much better!!!
If you need help let me know...I can even help you find a doctor that can help you!!!
Love, G.. :0)
http://stemcellforautism.blogspot.com/
High doses of vitamin C have been shown to reduce levels of lead in the blood. I give my kids ~750mg/day. Best of luck to you :)
http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/content5/vit.c.lowers....
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/06/990625074258...
Hi T.,
I know how you feel. I have learned that there is a lot of lead around today especially in your water and air. There is going to be a Children's Wellness Expo on Aug 2 in Sunnyvale. There will be a panel of doctors discussing the environment and how it effects our children's health and solutions to our concearns.
If this is something that interests you please email me and I will send you the flier and add you to the guest list.
Stay well and safe.
N. Marie
____@____.com
