Our Children are at Risk
Lead Poisoning
Presented by: Marcia Thelwell-Reid MPH, B.Sc.Walden University
Purpose of PresentationTo increase knowledge of the risks from
lead poisoning and to decrease childhood blood lead levels in your community.
Learning OutcomesAt the end of the session, participants
should be able to:Define lead poisoningIdentify signs, symptoms and adverse effects
of lead poisoning, especially in childrenIdentify sources of lead in the environmentTake steps to decrease childhood blood lead
levels in your community
StakeholdersParentsHealth care providersCottage industry operators
Scrap metal dealers Battery repairers
Headline NewsJamaica Gleaner – June 22, 2008
“Lead poisoning linked to crime” (Professor Lalor)
Jamaica Gleaner – April 2004“Lead poisoning in Jamaican children is not a
new phenomenon”(Dr. Evans-Gilbert)Could there be a possible link between our
unexplainable high crime rate and lead poisoning of our children?(Source: http:www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20080622/lead/lead6.html
http:www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20040414/news/news5.html
What is lead poisoning?A medical condition that occurs when lead
builds up in the body over a period of time. It is also referred to as saturnism, plumbism or painters colic.
Children under the age of 6 are very vulnerable to lead poisoning.
Affects mental and physical development and can be fatal at high levels.
HistoryLead poisoning is not new, recognized as
early as 2000 BCGout, anemia and colic were prevalent in
early Rome as a result of ingesting lead from food containers
Famous individuals such as Beethoven and Handel suffered from lead poisoning.
StandardsA 'high' blood level is now defined as more
than 10 micrograms (a microgram is one millionth of a gram) of lead per deciliter (1/2 cup) of blood, i.e. (10 mcg/dL).
Studies show that blood lead levels as low as 2 mcg/dL have been linked to deaths from heart attack and stroke.
Conclusion – no level is safe!(Source: Lead in blood: Safe levels too high? Retrieved 17/07/09 from
http://www.webmd.com/news/20060918/lead-in-blood-safe-levels-too-high
Jamaican SituationIN 2004, the National Safety Council
reported that approximately 400,000 children under age six had significant levels of lead in their blood (Lalor, 2008).
A Kingston study reveal that 43% of children had blood lead level greater than 70 mcg/dL, and 84% of yards had soil lead levels above 500 ppm (Matte, et al, 1989)
Sources of lead poisoningMost common source - battery repair
shopsMatte ,et al (1989) concluded that battery
repair shops create a high risk of lead poisoning for nearby residents.
A previous study concluded that cottage lead smelters are a hazard for nearby residents.
Increasing demand for lead on the world market has resulted in a 120% increase in backyard smelters for used batteries (Lalor, 2008).
Other Sources of LeadSoil – from gasoline or paint; can last for years,
e.g., Red Pond and Kintyre communitiesWater – lead pipes, brass plumbing fixtures,
copper pipes soldered with leadLead paint – discontinued but older houses still
have lead-based paintsHousehold dust – from paint chips or soil brought
in from outsideImported canned foods – lead solder still used in
some countriesCosmeticsToys and crayons – tested regularly for leadLead-glazed food containers
Symptoms of lead poisoning - children
Lead poisoning is difficult to detect early as poisoned individuals may appear healthy.
Signs may include:Decreased attention spanDecreased hearingSpeech delaysBehavioral problemsLoss of appetiteWeight lossAbdominal painSluggishness and fatigueVomitingConstipationanemia
Symptoms in adultsLead poisoning is also dangerous for adultsSigns and symptoms include:
Pain, numbness or tingling of the extremitiesMuscular weaknessHeadacheAbdominal painMemory lossMood disordersReduced sperm count, abnormal spermMiscarriage or premature birthfatigue
Adverse effects - childrenThe greatest risk to children is brain damage
Even low levels can result in irreversible damageDecreased muscle and bone growthHearing damageLearning disabilitiesNervous system and kidney damagePoor muscle coordinationSpeech, language and behavior problemsAnemia
Source: Mayo Clinic, http://www.mayoclinic.com
Adverse effects - adultsCataractsDamage to reproductive organs in menDigestive problemsHigh blood pressureMemory and concentration problemsMuscle and joint painNerve disordersPregnancy complicationsSchizophrenia
Source: Mayo clinic
Factors Influencing Lead Toxicity in Developing CountriesRisk factors are related to exposure, health
and prevention efforts (Falk, 2003).Exposure
Multiple sourcesIndustrial sites located in residential areasHot climates: more exposure to outdoor
environmentsChild labourInadequate tracking of lead use and
consumptionPoor environmental monitoring capacity
Factors Influencing Lead Toxicity in Developing Countries (Cont)Health
Poor nutrition enhances lead toxicity (iron and calcium intake reduces lead accumulation)
Limited knowledge of toxic chemicals among parents/caregivers
Lack of equipment and trained personnel for laboratory monitoring
Lack of or incomplete lead poisoning surveillance
Unavailability of drugs for treatment
Factors Influencing Lead Toxicity in Developing Countries (Cont)Prevention measures
Limited safety or hygiene programsLack of adequate regulations and standardsLack of enforcement where standards existLack of protective devices or safety
equipmentAbsence of programmes to remove children
from contaminated areas
Who are at risk?People who live in areas at high risk for lead
poisoning (smelters and battery repair shops)Children who live with adults that are exposed
to lead (furniture makers, battery workers, potters and those making stained glass and remodelling homes)
Babies and children under six years (absorb lead more easily than adults)
Children living in older homes with lead paintsPeople with lead amalgam in their dental fillings
Treatment for lead poisoningFirst step is to remove the individual from
the source of contaminationFor mild cases, avoiding exposure will
reduce blood lead levelsFor severe cases:
Chelation therapyEDTA therapy
PreventionLead poisoning in children is preventable!Parents
Keep children away from peeling paints (windows)Wash child's hands often, especially if he/she
sucks thumbAvoid food storage in lead glazed potteryFortify the diet with iron and calciumKnow where your kids playKeep your home dust freeIf you have metal pipes, run tap for 1 minute
before usingAvoid using hot tap water for babies’ formulaKeep children away from lead workers
Prevention Workers
Wear protective clothing and equipmentChange clothes and shower before leaving
the jobAvoid washing work clothes with other
clothingDon’t eat or drink where lead may be presentDon’t remove lead paint by sanding (creates
more dust)Avoid backyard battery repairs and smelting
PreventionHealth Care Providers
Be aware of the signs and symptoms of lead poisoning
Refer suspected children for testingEducate parents about lead poisoning and
preventive measures
PreventionGovernmental authorities
Ensure adequate supply of treatment drugsAssess local situation and identify all sources
of lead in the environmentDevelop policies aimed at reducing lead
exposure from the identified sourcesImplement monitoring and surveillance
system for lead poisoning in children
Efforts to reduce lead contamination in JamaicaLeaded gasoline banned in 2000Lead in household paint discontinuedToy imports checked for toxic levels of leadLead recovery plant closedSources of poisoning in Kintyre and other
areas isolated
Existing problemGreatest source of lead in the Jamaican
environment is the improper disposal of lead acid batteries
A Success Story - USA In 1978 there were about 14.8 million lead poisoned children in the
United States. By the early 1990s, that number had declined to 890,000 children,
as a result of:Phase out of lead from gasoline, food and beverage containers
and new house paintsReduction of lead in:
industrial emissions drinking waterConsumer goodsHazardous waste sites
The CDC established a goal to eliminate BLL ≥ 10 µg/dL in children under six years by 2010.
Blood lead levels continue to decline. Children with BLL ≥ 10 µg/dL have declined from 130,512 in 1997
to 74,887 in 2001 (Meyer, 2003).
ConclusionLead poisoning is preventableRequires the efforts of all stakeholders in
saving our children from lead poisoning.There is also the possibility of reducing our
spiralling crime rate by preventing lead poisoning in our children.
We can stop making “fools” of our chiildren.
Reference Evans-Gilbert, T. (2004). Lead poisoning in Jamaican children. Retrieved 18/07/09 from
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20040414/news/news5.html Falk, H. (2003). International environmental health for the pediatrician: Case study of
lead poisonong. Pediatrics, 112:259 - 264 Lalor, G. (2008). Lead poisoning linked to crime. Retrieved 18/07/09 from
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20080622/lead/lead6.html Lead poisoning. Retrieved 17/07/09 from http://kidshealth.org/parent/ Matte, T.D., Figueroa, J.P., Ostrowiski, S., Burr, G., Jackson-Hunt, L., Keenlyside, R.A.
& Baker, E.L. (1989). Lead poisoning among household members exposed to lead-acid battery repair shops in Kingston, Jamaica. International Journal of Epidemiology, 18:874 – 881.
Matte, T.D., Figueroa, J.P., Ostrowiski, S., Burr, G., Jackson-Hunt, L., & Baker, E.L. (1991). Lead exposure from conventional and cottage lead smelting in Jamaica. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 21:65 – 67.
Mayo Clinic (2009). Lead poisoning. Retrieved 17/07/09 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lead-poisoning/
Meyer, et al (2003). Surveillance for Elevated Blood Lead Levels Among Children --- United States, 1997—2001. Retrieved 27/06/09 from http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5210a1.htm