Moms dealing with elevated lead levels - Page 26

[provocativa]

the lead inspection guys who did our house seemed to indicate that incapsulated, intact paint is not a problem. i'd coat it with the most non-toxic varnish i could find, and then watch it closely for wear. one of the things about lead paint is that the lead helped it to bond, so that non-lead paint (even what we would call low-lead paint, like some Melissa and Doug, apparently) peels easier. but we're poor, and so have to be tightfisted about some stuff. i'm going to purchase some of that soygel lead paint remover, just to have around.

[BeingMe]

I got my hair results back for my daughter and I was wondering if you can take a look at them .....
Here's a link
http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j1...rsHairTest.jpg

[staceychev]

Sorry... we did blood tests for lead. I don't know what to do with that chart. Your lead level looks fine, but I don't have any point of reference for the other metals.

[leila1213]

I can't help you either, but I can tell you I wish that were my DD's results!!

[BusyMommy]

Originally Posted by harmonymama

Can anyone help me interpret lead blood test results? I have an appointment with his doc at the end of the week, but I am trying to understand his result in the mean time. His result is 0.021 ug/g (its not actually u, but a funny character that I can't type). ug/g=ppm (parts per million). Does anyone know how to convert this to the results we are used to discussing (1-10+ range). In other words is this result a 2 or a 21 or what? Help. BTW this was a blood test (not fingerprick). Thanks,
Celeste

I'll bump you, too

We get my son's blood test results back Friday at his dr's appt and will discuss at that point. He's doing a urine test today but those results will probl. be another week out.

[BusyMommy]

Originally Posted by gratefulmom

my DS had a high level when he was one.
Other than increasing iron foods, eatin vit C with the foods high in iron increases the absorption.
Also_CILANTRO
Cilantro is a natural chelator-rids the body of toxic metals. Do an online search for Cilantro Chelation Pesto. I think we did 3 T daily of the pesto. It is yummy and works.
Good luck

That is awesome!! We LOVE pesto in just about everything. Thanks

[leila1213]

Update - We had another heel stick done at her 18 MO appt and it came back a 6! I don't know whether I'm happy about this or not??? I'm so confused...

[Kiddoson]

I did not read all the responses, sorry if I am asking something that is already been asked. Is any house safe from lead paint? At what age(the house)?

[GooeyRN]

Originally Posted by Kiddoson

I did not read all the responses, sorry if I am asking something that is already been asked. Is any house safe from lead paint? At what age(the house)?

Usually houses built after 1980 are safe.

[mommymoose]

subbing... be back later!

[chioma]

been so long, wanted to give an update

hi mommas! i wanted to give an update to those of you who were reading my posts months ago, as i was getting into the process of vacating a contaminated house. we went to stay with the older couple who opened their home to us...which was a blessing and a nightmare at the same time. they have no grandchildren of their own yet...and didn't realize how difficult it would be to have four children ages 7 and under in their home. we got there and they informed us that we couldn't use their phone, receive mail there, had no internet....etc. dh started a job training program right after we moved in, our second car broke down, so i was stuck out in the country with no way to go anywhere. but, even with all that, we hunkered down, got through christmas, then intensified our search for a new place after the first of the year. we had already looked at probably close to 20 places, none of which i would rent to put an animal, let alone my children in. we finally found a place mid-january that we were confident would pass the lead inspection, as it had been completely redone. we waited a week, then got the news, it had passed!! we moved in the first week of february. the lady we were staying with wanted us to stay at her house, after before we even went there the agreement was that we would only be there through march. she went kinda nutz when we started getting our stuff moved into the new place, being nasty to us, telling me that she couldn't believe we were leaving so fast, we could stay much longer.....god love the woman for her kind heart, but she has issues. the other good news in the midst of all that was that our dd's lead level was down to 10, which, according to the lead prevention nurse, they had not seen a kid come down so much, so quickly. i wonder if it was the cellular defense drops, or just not letting her pick and chew on the lead paint that made the difference? so....we started moving into the new place, and granted, i didn't go around flipping light switches while we were looking at it, as i was so happy with the replacement windows and intact paint that i could barely contain myself. anyhow, dh did try to check out the basement, but the landlord said that there was a problem with the light that he would have fixed before we moved in. as we started to move in the light still wasn't working, dh called the landlord and he said he would have somebody come over to take care of it. dh took his flashlight down and found that the reason there was no light was because there were no lightbulbs. then it rained. the foundation washes into the basement every time it rains. i have one child was severe asthma. not good. but dh finally got a good job (after being unemployed since last april) in a town about 50 miles from here, so looks like we are going to move again very soon. dd gets tested again at the end of this month, her lead levels should be great. she throws really major tantrums and loves to bite her twin brother, but don't know if that is leftover from the lead or just her personality.

[sandygirl]

I'd like to get y'all opinion on this if possible.

DD tested at 15 at 12mo, then 17 at 14mo. At 18mo she tested a 1. Only change was she weaned to an elemental prescription formula at around 15mo or so. I'm waiting on my lead test results.

Would you think it was in my breast milk? I used to work {quit when DD was 10mo} in a 125yo building that was under constant renovation and they took no precautions against dust, etc.

If I can prove it was in my milk - WWYD? Sue?

[staceychev]

Originally Posted by sandygirl

I'd like to get y'all opinion on this if possible.

DD tested at 15 at 12mo, then 17 at 14mo. At 18mo she tested a 1. Only change was she weaned to an elemental prescription formula at around 15mo or so. I'm waiting on my lead test results.

Would you think it was in my breast milk? I used to work {quit when DD was 10mo} in a 125yo building that was under constant renovation and they took no precautions against dust, etc.

If I can prove it was in my milk - WWYD? Sue?

I was never able to find a really strong point of research that convinced me it was my milk (my daughter was 12 mos when she tested at a level of 47). The lead/breastmilk connection seems to be higher in countries where leaded gasoline is still ubiquitous.

From the NRDC, regarding your possible exposure while lactating:

"Much of the lead in breast milk does not come from the mothers' exposure during lactation. Instead, it comes from lead stored in the mothers' bones. Because lead mimics the beneficial mineral calcium, it is stored for decades along with calcium in the bones." (Source here.)

Oh, and exposure is really hard to prove. The health department came out to test my mom's house and we really only ever got it narrowed down to "Well, it could be one of these three things, or else something that we didn't think of." I've had to come to terms with not being certain.

FWIW, my child would have to be really severely affected and/or disabled by something in order for me to sue. I'm heartbroken that this happened to her, and I pray that she doesn't have problems down the road because of it. But I think we're an overly litigious nation and I don't think I'd contribute to that atmosphere for this. Maybe if something happened to her that would require long-term care, but not this.

[hugosmoma]

sandygirl,

i am so glad that you dd is down to a level of 1. that is fantastic! i'd bet that you were bringing it home with you, that'd be my best guess. lead dust from windows in old houses are a very common source of posioning, so it would be reasonable that an environment under construction would serve as a source, even if it was just coming home with you, going with the reasoning that it takes very little dust (like windows). again, so glad her levels came down so quickly.

[leila1213]

Originally Posted by hugosmoma

sandygirl,

i am so glad that you dd is down to a level of 1. that is fantastic! i'd bet that you were bringing it home with you, that'd be my best guess. lead dust from windows in old houses are a very common source of posioning, so it would be reasonable that an environment under construction would serve as a source, even if it was just coming home with you, going with the reasoning that it takes very little dust (like windows). again, so glad her levels came down so quickly.

That's what I was going to say as well.

[sandygirl]

the only thing is - I quit work in july of 2007, before any of this lead testing started {1st test sept 07 w/ level of 15, second test Dec 07 with level of 17}.

Why would her level go UP with me not bringing it home?

[Kiddoson]

oops

[jrayn]

ADHD resulting from high lead levels

DD hasn't officially been diagnosed but I suspect that she will be diagnosed with ADHD, all the signs are there and considering she had high lead levels and this is a common side effect...
A lot of people mention changing the diet due to food allergies but since this is probably as a result of high lead it seems that would be pointless (and since dd is a milk addict, it would also be pointless torture for her)

Anyone dealing w/ ADHD have suggestions on dealing w/ it, good links etc?

[MamaMamaMama!]

>>Anyone dealing w/ ADHD have suggestions on dealing w/ it, good links etc?

the Autism-Mercury Yahoo! group at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/autism-mercury/
is a good place to start; I've found some really great info there. The parents there are dealing with more heavy metals than just lead, and more problems than just ADHD, but there are a lot of people who argue that autism, ADHD, food intolerances, allergies, etc., are all connected to heavy metals in general.

One of the first things that parents in this group try is to eliminate casein and gluten from their kids' diets and some kids recover on that change alone--even the autistic ones. And I've heard over and over again that kids who are addicted to one kind of food--especially gluten and casein foods--are the ones who are most negatively affected by that food. It is definitely worth a try. My ds was addicted to milk, too, but it was easier than I expected to eliminate it, and he eats way better now that it's out of his diet.

Also the Feingold diet is good for some ADHD kids because it eliminates salicylates and food additives (especially red dyes) which have been proven to cause hyperactivity.

[jrayn]

Originally Posted by MamaMamaMama!

>>Anyone dealing w/ ADHD have suggestions on dealing w/ it, good links etc?

One of the first things that parents in this group try is to eliminate casein and gluten from their kids' diets and some kids recover on that change alone--even the autistic ones. And I've heard over and over again that kids who are addicted to one kind of food--especially gluten and casein foods--are the ones who are most negatively affected by that food. It is definitely worth a try. My ds was addicted to milk, too, but it was easier than I expected to eliminate it, and he eats way better now that it's out of his diet.

Also the Feingold diet is good for some ADHD kids because it eliminates salicylates and food additives (especially red dyes) which have been proven to cause hyperactivity.

That was what one person told me to do was eliminate the casein and gluten but I just didn't see how that pertained to lead, but I didn't even think about autistic children, the fact that they have elimination diets and many suspect the cause is from mercury... unrelated yet related

We don't include food additives to our diet but they do sneak in from other people that feed her or foods that she steals from other household members. I have read that any tainting of the diets will make all efforts to eliminate, ineffective.