How to deal with lead poisoning in a family

Lead is more harmful to children than adults because their brains and nervous systems are still developing. Lead poisoning can be treated, but some of the damage that lead causes is irreversible.

Lead is a highly toxic metal in contact with the body. Lead poisoning is a serious and even fatal poisoning. This happens when lead metal builds up in the body too safely.

Poisoning with lead happens like?

Lead is found in leaded paints, including paint on the walls of old houses and toys. In addition, lead is also found in fine arts tools, contaminated dust or petroleum products.

Lead poisoning builds up over a period of months or years. It can cause serious physical and mental impairments in which young children are most vulnerable. When children put lead-contaminated objects in their mouths, children unknowingly accumulate lead in their bodies. Touching lead contaminated objects and then putting fingers in the mouth can also cause lead contamination.

Symptoms of lead poisoning

The symptoms of lead poisoning vary widely. They can affect many parts of the body. Most cases of lead poisoning progress slowly. It happens after a little bit of exposure to lead. Lead poisoning rarely occurs after just one exposure to or ingestion of lead contaminated food.

The signs of lead poisoning are:

Abdominal cramping pain;

Aggressive behavior;

Constipation ;

Sleep problems;

Headache;

Irritability, irritability;

Loss of developmental skills in children;

Loss of appetite;

Tired;

Hypertension;

Numbness or tingling in the extremities;

Lost memory;

Anemia ;

Renal dysfunction.

Since a child's brain is still developing, lead poisoning can lead to an intellectual disability. Symptoms can include:

Behavioral problems;

Low IQ;

Poor grades at school ;

Hearing problems;

Difficulty in short and long-term learning;

Slow to grow.

Lead poisoning in high doses can lead to serious symptoms that need an emergency, such as:

Severe abdominal cramps;

Vomit;

Muscle weakness;

Struggling;

Convulsions;

Comatose;

Encephalopathy, which manifests itself as confusion, lethargy, and convulsions.

If a family member has symptoms of severe lead poisoning, call an ambulance right away. Be sure to know the following information to tell your doctor:

Age of lead poisoning people;

Weight;

Causes of poisoning;

Amount of food eaten;

Time of poisoning occurred.

In a non-emergency situation, call the emergency hotline 114 for instructions on what steps you can take to help a person who is poisoned before waiting for an ambulance to arrive.

What is the cause of lead poisoning?

Lead poisoning occurs when lead enters the body. Breathing dust containing lead can also cause lead poisoning. You cannot smell or taste lead and it is usually not visible to the naked eye.

In some countries, lead is commonly used in home paints and gasoline. These products no longer have lead added. However, lead is still present everywhere. It is especially often found in old homes.

The houses painted before 1978;

Toys and housewares painted before 1976;

Bullet, curtain stoppers and fishing nets are made of lead;

Key-containing hoses and faucets can contaminate water with lead;

The soil is polluted by old car exhaust or scattered paintwork;

Art tools using paint;

Jewelry, ceramics and lead articles;

Battery backup;

Cosmetics such as traditional Indian kohl or kajal eyeliner wax, lipstick ;

Some folk remedies such as male pills, persimmon form, orange medicine.

Who is at risk for lead poisoning?

Children are at greatest risk of lead poisoning, especially if living in old homes with primer. This is because babies have a habit of putting objects or fingers in their mouths.

People living in developing countries are also at higher risk. Many countries do not have strict regulations on the use of lead. Therefore, you should have your child tested for lead levels regularly.

Diagnosis of lead poisoning 

Your doctor will test for lead in your blood to diagnose lead poisoning. Lead is a fairly common metallic element in the environment. Some studies show that no safe blood lead levels, but lead as low as 5 mcg / dL, can cause health problems in children.

Additional tests may include blood tests to look at the amount of iron stores in the blood, X-rays, and a bone marrow biopsy.

Treatment for lead poisoning

The first step in treatment is to identify and eliminate the source of the lead contamination. You should keep your baby away from objects that can cause lead contamination. If the source of the lead cannot be removed, the child should be sealed off or kept away. Check with your local health facilities on how to get rid of lead. They can also help you reduce your risk of lead exposure.

In more severe cases, you may need to resort to chelation. This is a treatment that causes lead to build up in the body to rejoin. The bonded lead is then excreted in your urine.

In addition, you can use EDTA or activated carbon to bind lead in the digestive tract and expel lead in the toilet. However, with treatment it is very difficult to reverse the effects of long-term lead exposure.

How to prevent lead poisoning

Adults with moderate exposure to lead usually recover on their own and without any complications. In children, recovery can take a while. Even low lead exposure can cause permanent intellectual disability.

Simple steps that can help you prevent lead poisoning are:

Avoid or dispose of painted and canned toys of unknown origin;

Keep the house clean and free from dust;

Use only clean water for cooking food and drinks;

Wash hands before eating;

Check the water source for lead or not. If lead levels are high, use a lead filter or drink bottled water;

Regularly clean faucets and air filters thoroughly;

Wash children's toys and water bottles regularly;

Teach your child to wash their hands after playing;

If building a home, make sure the workers are certified for lead control;

Use lead-free paint indoors;

Have your child tested for lead when they are 1 to 2 years old;

Avoid areas where lead-containing paint may be used.

Hopefully, the useful information about the situation as well as how to prevent lead poisoning in children will help parents find the best way to keep their baby healthy!