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In a case that may involve many hundreds of millions of dollars, a jury in Rhode Island decided that three companies – that used to make lead paint – are liable for harming tens of thousands of children in that state. The sale of lead paint was banned more than 25 years ago.

But about two-thirds of all homes in the U.S. were built before 1978 – the year lead-based paint was banned. The Environmental Protection Administration, meanwhile, considers lead poisoning one of the top environmental hazards for young children.

Three-year-old Denzel is an example of what can happen. His family has lived in the same house for more than 30 years.

One day, during a routine checkup, his doctor discovered high levels of lead in Denzel’s blood. He was treated for lead poisoning soon after.

“What are main ways kids can get exposed to lead, these days,” says Dr. Howard Frumkin, professor of Environmental Health at Emory University. “Number one, it’s lead dust from house paint in older homes, either chipping paint or homes that are being restored, where paint is being taken off the walls.”

Lead poisoning has been dramatically reduced in the U.S. over the past two decades – thanks, in part, to a ban on lead in paint and in gasoline.

But some groups are still at risk.

“Folks that live in old homes,” says Dr. Frumkin, “and a large number of these people are inner-city children that are living in older housing that hasn’t been repainted. So they’re confronting paint coming off walls. But another large group of these children are living in nice, old fixer-uppers. These are middle-class families or upper-class families that are repairing and restoring old homes. They’re taking lead off the walls. And these are kids that show up with high lead levels, too.”

In children, even low levels of lead can cause impaired development. Larger doses can cause irreversible harm to the brain.

“If you’re talking about young children who are getting exposed to this in high levels of lead, and have suffered some of the cognitive problems with behavior and learning, sometimes those are not things that are easily going to be reversed by starting to treat it,” says Dr. Seema Csukas, of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. “So you do want to catch it early, and prevent some of the problems that result.”

Denzel’s grandmother, meanwhile, says they only discovered the lead hazards in their house, and Denzel’s lead poisoning, because of a routine blood test.

“So I would encourage every young person that live in these old houses, built before ’50, to take their kids and have them checked,” she says.

What We Need To Know

• If you live in an apartment or house built before 1978, keep young children away from peeling paint – and ask your doctor about blood tests for lead poisoning. (American Academy of Family Physicians)




• Good nutrition helps reduce lead absorption in children. If a child is getting adequate amounts of iron and calcium in their diet, and they are getting low amounts of fat in their diet, they’re less likely to absorb lead into their system. (Dr. Seema Csukas, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta)




• Signs of lead poisoning can very. Symptoms in children can mimic the flu – and include headaches, stomachaches, loss of appetite and irritability. The only way to be certain if a child has lead poisoning is to get a blood test. (National Safety Council)

Resources

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention




• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency




• Mayo Clinic

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