Hi, I just wanted to share with you all an article that I wrote for my local newspaper on lead poisoning. I am very proud of myself, this is something new for me. I hope it gets published. Thanks for being my editor Scott.

Protecting our Children from Lead Poisoning

By Emily VanVleet RN

It is important that parents in the Concordia Neighborhood are aware that their children may have an increased risk for developing lead poisoning. The effects of this illness may not be recognizable at first, and if the condition remains untreated the health problems can be life threatening. On the bright side, lead poisoning may be entirely preventable.

Those living in the Concordia Neighborhood are at an increased risk because most of the homes in this community are older. Lead based paint was not banned until 1978 and most of the residential housing here was built before 1940. According to a lead study done by Multnomah County in 2001, lead dust levels exceeded federal standards in 71% of the older homes tested in Northeast, North and Southeast Portland.

The population most affected by lead poisoning is children under the age of 6. The reason why these children are most affected is because their brains and bodies are still growing. They encounter lead more than adults because they are constantly crawling around the floor putting toys, their hands, and random house objects in their mouths.

Children who have lead poisoning may not act or look sick; they might even look perfectly healthy. Lead exposure and poisoning can cause learning and behavior problems, slowed growth, language and speech impairment and brain and organ damage.

Lead poisoning happens because lead can be swallowed or breathed in from dust. Lead is found in peeling paint, dust particles, outdoor soil and in water from lead in older piping. Children are mostly likely to be exposed during home remodeling and renovation.

Lead poisoning may be completely preventable if parents decrease the environmental exposure, take an online risk assessment, and have the child take a blood test. Lead testing may need to be done more than once especially if the child lives in a higher risk environment because blood levels may rise due to ongoing exposure.

If the test reveals an elevated blood level, then here is what you can do. You can help decrease the lead in body through proper diet and nutrition. Remove the child from any exposure to the lead source. Monitor blood lead levels periodically to make sure they are decreasing.

Blood lead level testing may be done through your family doctor or free through the Multnomah County Health Department. If you have questions call the county lead line at 503-988-4000. For more information and for tips on preventing exposure check out the county website http://www.mchealth.org/lead/


FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Childhood lead poisoning prevention program: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/about/program.htm

Multnomah County lead poisoning prevention: http://www.mchealth.org/lead/

State of Oregon, lead poisoning prevention program: http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/ph/lead/about_us.shtml

FREE TESTING AVAILABLE THROUGH:

Josiah Hill III Clinic: http://www.jhillclinic.org/
and
Multnomah County immunizations and lead screening http://www.mchealth.org/immunizations/