Lead Poisoning In Children

1. Lead Poisoning In Children Lara Taylor EEC4731 Milestone 1

2. What is it? • Lead poisoning is a condition in which an individual absorbs too much lead into their system. • Can be absorbed by breathing it or swallowing it, then it gradually accumulates in the brain and nervous systems, tissues and kidneys. • Found in dust, paint, food or water. • Caused by months or years of exposure to high levels of lead. • Most harmful to young children. • 310,000 children each year (ages 1-5) are found to have unsafe levels of lead in their blood.

3. Symptoms • Irritability • Loss of appetite and nausea • Headaches • Constipation • Listlessness • Learning problems (short attention span, mental retardation) • Behavior Problems • Eating dirt or paint chips • Weight loss • Pale skin • Metallic taste in mouth

4. Long Term Effects • Decreased bone and muscle growth • Poor muscle coordination • Damage to nervous system • Speech and language problems • Developmental delay • Can lower IQ by 4 to 5 percent • In extremely high levels of lead poisoning children can exhibit seizures or unconsciousness

5. How is it treated? • Removal of sources of lead in ones environment • Increase of Iron and Vitamin C in ones diet • Chelation therapy: • In Chelation therapy, a person receives and injection of a chelating agent which attaches to the excess amounts of lead in the body, then the excess lead is excreted in the urine.

6. Preventative Measures • Preventative measures that can reduce and eliminate lead exposure: • Good hand washing habits • Refraining from putting hands and objects inside the mouth • Regular cleaning of children's toys • Including a consistent source of Iron to ones diet

7. Where is all this Lead found? Excess levels of lead that may be harmful to the body are found in: • Old lead-based house paint • Contaminated drinking water • Imported toys and metallic trinkets • Secondhand toys and furniture (manufactured before 1978)

8. Teaching Modifications • In the classroom, it is important for teachers to remove any toys or objects that may be contaminated with lead or contain high levels of the metal. • If a student is afflicted with high levels of lead poisoning he or she may be placed in a special educational class where they can receive extra help and guidance with school work.

9. As a teacher….. • As a teacher, I would practice preventative health measures to ensure that my students are not exposing themselves to toys and items that may contain excessive amounts of lead. • I would constantly remind my students to wash or sanitize their hands before and after playing with toys or interacting with other materials. • I would remove any toys or objects that may contain increased levels of lead. • If one of my students was diagnosed with Lead poisoning, I would take the steps to have them placed in a class where they could receive extra help, or if no such class exists, I would be sure to give them extra guidance with activities and assignments.

10. Sources (2008, June 26). Chelation Therapy. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/chelation-therapy-8250 Marotz, Lynn R. (2009). Health, Safety, and Nutrition for the Young Child: Seventh Edition. United States: Thomson Delmar Learning. (2008, June 26). Lead Poisoning-Prevention. Retrieved from http://children.webmd.com/tc/lead-poisoning-prevention (2008, June 26). Lead Poisoning-Topic Overview. Retrieved from http://children.webmd.com/tc/lead-poisoning-topic-overview (2011). About Lead Poisoning. Retrieved from http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/brain/lead_poisioning.html# (n.d.). Physically Impaired and Other Health Impairment-Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved from https://www.ocps.net/cs/ese/programs/pi/Pages/FrequentlyAskedQuestions.aspx