Lead Poisoning In Our Children

1. Lead Poisoning In Our Children Northern NJ Maternal/Child Health Consortium Tel: 201-843-7400 www.maternalchildhealth.org Passaic/Bergen Lead Coalition is funded by the NJDHSS to increase awareness about lead poisoning and educate the community on prevention measures.

2. LEAD POISONING is one of the most common & preventablepediatric health problems today.

3. The Descending ‘Upper Limit’ of Lead Poisoning Diagnosis:

4. How many children were diagnosed with lead poisoning in 2002? Source: NJDHSS 2002 Lead Annual Report

5. Lead: Why a problem? • Lead = Poison • Widely dispersed in the environment • Very small amounts cause problems • Young children’s development systems at special risk • Lead poisoning is silent; damage occurs before symptoms appear • All children regardless of socio-economic status are at risk!

6. Why are young children at highest risk of lead poisoning? • Their absorption of lead is most efficient • Their developing systems are especially vulnerable to damage • They unintentionally • ingest lead-tainted dust • by frequent hand-to-mouth • activity

7. I. Health & Social Effects of Lead Poisoning in Children • Hyperactivity • Discipline problems • Developmental & cognitive delays • Decreased intelligence/IQ • School failure (continued)

8. II. Health & Social Effects of Lead Poisoning in Children • Juvenile delinquency • Societal pathologies • Reduced earning potential • Decreased stature or growth • Decreased hearing acuity (continued)

9. III. Health & Social Effects of Lead Poisoning in Children Anemia Elevated blood pressure Kidney problems Reproductive disorders Severe exposure: coma, convulsions, death

10. Sources of Lead: • Contaminated dust from lead-based paint due to home renovations or in homes that are not well maintained • Tap water (from iron pipes) • Soil (near traffic corridors & prior fruit orchards) • Food stored in lead soldered cans • Ceramics, home remedies, cosmetics • Occupational/hobby exposures

11. Whether you own or rent, you need to be aware of what resides inside and outside of your

12. Top 5 NJ counties by amount of housing units built before 1950: Source: NJDHSS 2002 Lead Annual Report

13. Lead & Real Estate: Disclosure Requirements • Owners of pre-1978 properties must: • Disclose known lead hazards to renters/buyers • Permit renter/buyer to do lead testing • Provide EPA/CPSC pamphlet on lead hazards

14. Temporary ways to reduce lead exposure: • Dust control (damp dust and wet-mop) • Coat hazardous surfaces • Wash items children put in mouth • Use duct tape to remove paint chips • NEVER sand, scrape or burn old paint! • Provide children with regular meals and a diet high in iron & calcium, low in fat • Wash hands regularly, especially after play and before eating • Run tap water (cold) for 1 minute before use

15. Permanent measures to eliminate lead exposure: • Complete Abatement(expensive) = • May not be necessary to stop immediate exposure • Best means to prevent future poisoning • Measures include: • Component replacement (windows, moldings) • Paint removal (certified abatement workers) • Enclosure (covering walls with drywall)

16. Lead-Based Paint & Remodeling: Remodelers – keep accurate records Lead-Based Paint Pre-Renovation Education (Lead PRE) Rule – June 1999 Pre-1978 housing Contractors disturbing more than 2 square feet of lead paint Distribution of EPA pamphlet, Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home

17. Lead Poisoning is a serious problem, especially for kids… How much lead-based paint does it take to poison a toddler? This small amount of lead-based paint in the body of a toddler is considered dangerous by health authorities. To protect kids against lead poisoning: ·Have children under 6 years old tested for lead, especially those living in homes built before 1978. ·Don’t scrape or sand paint in pre-1978 homes. ·Always wash hands before handling food & eating.  Only this much!

18. NJ Universal Childhood Lead Screening Law (Public Law 1995 Chapter 328) Requires that all children receive 2 blood lead screenings between birth & 6 years old and are monitored regularly in accordance with screening results.

19. Why did NJ create the Lead Screening Law? To increase primary prevention There are no symptoms of lead poisoning To avoid future complicated medical management problems To prevent long durations of lead exposure, which can cause irreparable damage To save medical and special education costs To save children’s lives!

20. What the law requires of pediatricians: 1) Screen every child twice before age 6 regardless of risk 2) Assess child’s risk annually 3) Report to & educate parents 4) Follow-up as necessary

21. Annual Lead Risk Assessment: 1. Live in or regularly visit house built pre-1960 with peeling/chipping paint? 2. Live in or regularly visit house built pre-1960 with recent, ongoing or planned renovations? 3. Live with an adult whose job or hobby involves exposure to lead? 4. Have a BLL above 10 ug/dl when last tested? A “Yes” or “I don’t know” answer to any of these questions indicates “High Risk” status.

22. Services provided by local health departments: • Home/environmental investigations • Source remediation • Limited lead screening • Home visits by public health nurses • Lead information & education materials • Social service resource information

23. Key “Take Home” Messages: Low levels of lead cause serious harm Lead poisoning = no symptoms Young children = highest risk Old homes need to be properly maintained Pediatricians are required to assess and screen every child Minimize lead exposure as needed Be aware of where lead “hides” in our lives

24. Overall Goal = Prevention,Not Reaction

25. Resources for additional information: NJ Dept of Health & Senior Services: http://www.state.nj.us/health/fhs/chshome.htm NJ Physician Lead Advisory Committee Antonia Ty, MD, Chair, Tel: 201-569-0410 NJ CitizenAction: www.njcitizenaction.org Email: john@njcitizenaction.org, Tel: 732-246-4772 University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jerseyhttp://www3.umdnj.edu/leadweb/