CDC Strengthens Lead Poisoning Prevention in Children with New Standards

Recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Lowered the threshold for Lead poisoning After the child study We found that more than half of children in the United States have detectable levels of lead in their blood.

The CDC has reduced the blood lead reference value from 5 milligrams per deciliter of blood to 3.5. In the new standard Double children 1-5 years of age can be considered high levels of lead in the blood, which poses a significant risk to all major organs and the brain.

Jill Cioffi, MD, A board-certified pediatrician at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital said the CDC update reflects better techniques and testing capabilities that allow doctors to identify lower levels of lead than before. ..

“Measurable blood lead levels are not considered safe,” Cioffi told Verywell. “As our testing ability improves, we can lower the standard you say,’Oh, that’s not okay.’ ”

The blood lead reference value for CDC in 1991 was 10 mg per deciliter, but in 2012 it was changed to 5 mg. Some researchers have long insisted on lowering this number.

In addition to better testing, researchers have learned that lead exposure can accumulate over time. Consistent exposure to low levels of lead can lead to worse health than less frequent exposure to high levels of lead, Cioffi explained. She said that if the tests and studies became more accurate, the CDC would decide to lower the standard further.

How does lead exposure affect my health?

Exposure to lead can put you at risk for high blood pressure, heart disease, kidney disease, or fertility problems. It also affects the development of the child’s brain and can lead to behavioral changes such as decreased IQ and decreased attention.

“Ingested lead is distributed throughout the bloodstream,” Cioffi said. “It affects almost all major organs.”

Some of these problems can be ameliorated or treated, but when it comes to nerve damage, the effects of severe lead exposure are irreversible, she added.

“No one would say that if there is any neurological damage, such as IQ or deviations in cognitive function, it is reversible,” Cioffi said. “I’ll give it a try, but it’s hard to say that any of these will be reversed, so I definitely want to avoid being exposed to such high levels.”

Lead can enter the body by ingestion or, if burned, by inhalation. World Health Organization (WHO)..

According to Cioffi, children are generally exposed to lead by ingestion because they tend to eat things. Children may be more susceptible to exposure during or after play time when playing outdoors in lead-contaminated soil, especially if snacks and meals continue.

“Children play with soil and toys, put their hands in their mouths, put them on their skin and then put them in their mouths,” says Cioffi. “They are more prone to chewing on them and receiving more oral exposure than adults.”

Lead can be more dangerous to children than adults because of the small size of the child’s body and the high absorbency of the skin, Cioffi added.

“When you’re under six, you’re considered incredibly vulnerable just because your surface area is small,” she said. “You are drinking the same water as your family, you are still getting much more water for your weight.”

She added that pregnant foets may be the most vulnerable to lead exposure.

How are children exposed to lead?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), lead is a metal found in the air, soil, water and structural parts of buildings and homes.Historical use of leaded gasoline, lead paint, and other lead race products such as some batteries, plumbing units, pipes, and cosmetics can also contribute to lead exposure.

Buildings built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint, as it was the year the US government banned consumer use of the product. Lead-based paints may be embedded underneath a layer of new (or multiple new) paints. This may provide a thin veil of protection, but if chipping occurs, the paint can still be dangerous.

Compared to the 70’s, children today are less likely to be exposed to lead paint, but they are still at risk. Rear M. Alexander, MD, A New Jersey-based pediatrician and consultant for the parenting website Mom Loves Best.

About 20 years ago, Alexander attended a lead clinic where children came to detoxify from severe lead exposure at blood lead levels in their 20s or 30s. She said these children were hospitalized for about a week and received treatments such as iron via IV to reduce some of the toxic effects of lead.

Fortunately, she hasn’t seen more than 15 in the last few years, and she added that the case was resolved without significant intervention.

“Originally, I saw cases of children exposed to lead paint in old homes and under construction in the neighborhood,” Alexander told Berrywell. “Recently, problems with lead paint construction sites have diminished. People tend to live in new homes and there is a municipal effort to reduce lead-containing materials.”

Instead, she began to notice lead exposure through imported toys, city building infrastructure, water supplies, and even shooting ranges.

“People like to go to the shooting range and practice shooting guns, and the bullets are leading,” said Alexander. “I experienced cases of high-level children that my parents were unaware of, and their children were eventually exposed.”

Schools can also cause lead exposure.Major cities like New York When Philadelphia A lead problem was discovered in a public school system. There, children and teachers are exposed to water sources such as lead paint and contaminated drinking water.

According to Alexander, this tends to be a supply or infrastructure issue for municipalities whose pipes have not been updated. She added that if the water supply is contaminated, it can enter fountains and kitchens where food is prepared.

How can I keep my child away from lead?

Cioffi suggested that some basic precautions must be taken consistently to keep children safe from lead exposure.

“Now we are in the middle of a COVID-19 pandemic, so many of us wash our hands,” she said. “But in reality, frequent hand washing is very important.”

Cleaning household sinks, including wire traps in faucets, could also make a big difference in the fight against lead exposure, she added. In addition, hot water can contain high levels of lead, so it is safer to consume the water coming out of the faucet at a lower temperature than at a higher temperature.

Low levels of lead were dangerous long before the recent CDC update, but Cioffi added this change to preventive medicine by increasing the ability of healthcare providers to treat lead exposure before it becomes severe. Said that it could have an impact.

But for prevention to take place, people must first be aware of the problem. Thinking positively about lead exposure may also reduce the risk to children, Alexander added.

“Recently, people are worried about so many things. COVID and his children go to day care. [and] School — The main problem is postponed compared to everything else, “she said.