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Alternative and Complementary Medicine Archive
Lead Levels!
This topic was originally posted in this forum: Alternative and Complementary Medicine
Author Topic: Lead Levels!
rastamom
Member posted 07-18-2001 07:45 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kaya had her 10 month check-up last week. they did a finger stick to check lead levels. Today we got a call saying we needed to do bloodwork at the lab for more accuracy. The stick came up with 20. The nurse told DH that 0-9 was normal, 10-19 they don't retest, so she was on the border. If the lab test comes back 20 or higher they report it to the health department and they come find the source in our house. Which is good, but then you're a "case" and they re-check the baby and your home every 3 months.
So, I'm kind of freaking out. We live in an old house and there are 3 rooms upstairs that have peeling paint. I feel so horribly guilty. I should have been more on top of it. i kept saying we need to get the rooms re-painted but it's so expensive!
Our town water also has high-ish levels of lead and a while back (6 months ago or so) we put a "pur" brand filter on the kitchen sink. But then I remembered that Kaya has a bathtoy that sqirts water and she always squirts it into her mouth. And we have two really old enamal pots from the '50's ( those pastel ones) that we use to cook her rice or oatmeal in. Is the paint LEAD based?? The health dept. says proably not. I'm so freaked out about how I could have exposed her to it.
I read an old thread here about ink containing lead. She has an obsession with eating her board books and paper. Maybe it's that.
My house is a pig-sty. It is SO hard to keep it clean cuz it's too cluttered to know where to start. So, I feel so guilty for not providing her with a clean, safe house.
But how can I clean all day and still care for her properly? DH helps clean but also makes giant messes. It's SO hard to keep up.
My mom jumped all over AP style parenting tonight when i told her about the lead and how I have a hard time finding the time to clean. (nothing new!)It has never come naturally to me. Even before the baby I wasn't the greatest housekeeper.
I would do just about anything to have a cleaning service weekly.
I feel like if the house was clean Kaya would not have come in contact with lead.
The woman at the lab treated us like total trash. I think it was because of what we were there for. She also commented twice on how Kaya was "so small!" Her attitude just compounded my shame. I feel so ignorant for allowing my baby to get lead into her system.
Everything feels so out of control!
SonyaJ
Member posted 07-18-2001 08:38 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rastamom,
I'm sorry to hear your scary news. (((hugs)))
I've always been worried about lead because we've lived in older apartments and now a house that I know has lead paint in. Fortunately dd #1 has never been much of a mouther, but I worry about when #2 gets a little bigger. . .
There is a lot of info out there on how to reduce lead paint exposure, and it sounds like you're doing the right thing with the water filter. Did you know that hot water can have 10 times as much lead as cold? Because it leaches off the pipes (if you have any lead in your pipes) much more easily. That's why you should always cook with cold water and also be vigilant about not letting kids drink bath water (which is so hard!!). Dd loves to suck on the washcloth any chance she gets.
One thing you shouldn't do is go ahead and scrape those upstairs rooms and repaint. They recommend only hiring certified contractors to do it (which I"m sure cost a lot) because you're supposed to take special precautions. Any dry scraping or sanding can put lead dust in the air like crazy where everyone breathes it in.
One way to reduce lead dust is to dust windowsills and other areas that collect dust and are within kids' reach. I've heard it's best to do this with a damp paper towel, then throw it away. I'm not sure why they don't recommend using a rag and washing it -- I guess the lead must then go into the septic system.
Anyway, this has nothing to do with your parenting style! You are doing the best thing you can for Kaya. A little more vigilance in certain areas of cleaning *might* help things out, but it's so hard to tell what's causing it. I'd recommend getting one of those home lead testing kits and rubbing it on the peeling paint, the pans, etc.
I know how scary it can be (we discovered the house we're renting is just chok full of lead paint a day after signing a lease -- ARGH). I wish you the best.
s.
[This message has been edited by SonyaJ (edited 07-18-2001).]
Stacie
Member posted 07-19-2001 06:51 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have a son with Autism who test extremely high in lead, arsenic, antimony, mercury and several others.
I can sympathize with your fears.
I would suggest to obtain a hair sample of your child and send it to DDI http://www.doctorsdata.com. They do wonderful hair testing and "essential" elements testing. They will also test for other toxins.
My son is currently undergoing chelation therapy to remove the toxins from his body with great improvements and success.
If you wish to email me my address is slalmquist@aol.com. I will be able to give you tons of information regarding heavy metals toxicity.
It is a good idea to have your home checked, most homes built before 1980 have either a lead based paint or have lead soldering in pipes. So lead is very easy to get. They will be able to give you ideas how to safely get rid of any lead that may be in your home. And will be able to find out where it may be coming from.
Best wishes, and please feel free to email me. I am very familiar with this.
Stacie
DarcyH
Member posted 07-19-2001 09:07 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rastamom:
Long post. I apologize in advance.
I would HIGHLY recommend picking up a copy of the book "Lead is a Silent Hazard" by Richard M. Stapleton. He documents all the major sources of lead contamination, how to manage them, and what to do if your child has high lead levels. It's a great book that every parent should read.
Please be aware that even if your house does have old lead paint, your child may have been exposed to more lead during the removal process as it gets into the air. So just because you live in an old house does not mean that the house paint is the cause of her exposure. It may or may not be.
Many states have programs which will help you pay for lead abatement in older homes. I believe info on who to contact in your state is also contained in the Stapleton book.
Water actually accounts for about 60% of the lead exposure most children get. Different facets also release different levels of lead into the water. It's great to have a water filter. However, the PUR water filter does not do a very thorough job of removing lead from the water. If you read their literature carefully, it removes upwards of 90% of the lead WHEN IT IS BRAND NEW. Lead removal rates drop SUBSTANTIALLY by the time it indicates that you need to replace it. Don't remember the exact number, but seem to want to say it's less than 60%. I would recommend searching for a water filter that removes upwards of 90% of lead for the entire life of the filter. You can usually find this info on the filter manufacturer's enclosed water filtration info -- usually in very small print somewhere at the bottom of the literature.
Stapleton's book seems to recommend reverse osmosis filtration systems. However, if you're in you determine water is one of the source of your lead exposure, I would not reverse osmosis. I know several chiropractors who have told me that they recommended reverse osmosis systems for their clients and then had to supplement them with minerals because their mineral levels dropped substantially when drinking RO water. Personal experience also shows this to be the case. My brother was hospitalized for mineral definciency after drinking only RO water for several years. Took him many months to recover and regain the vast weight loss he experienced.
Hope this info is helpful.
Darcy
babylover
Member posted 07-19-2001 12:47 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rastamom don't worry, Kaya's levels are low enough and being detected early enough that she will probably be just fine. You are not trash. Lead poisoning can happen to the best of us. As my dh would say, I'm a lead poisoning freak! We live in an old house that is covered with lead based paint both inside and out. We were also doing a huge remodel right when dd was born. I work in a children's hospital, so I knew the effects of lead poisoning and I just freaked. Don't be too hard on yourself about all the cleaning. Now that you know her levels are high, it will just take some minor adjustment. It will be worth it. I have a neighbor who's daughter tested a little high and the health deparment got involved (where I live they get involved at 15). They have been so helpful to them and her daughter's levels are down and she's doing fine. So, use the health deparment to your advantage--they should have some great suggestions. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) actually have a great document at the following site: www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/lead.htm. Click onto "Preventing Lead Poisoning in young children document" It has sections on how feed kids, and how to reduce the lead in your home based on the level of lead found in your child's blood. It was very helpful for me as we now start on painting the exterior of the house which is also full of lead paint.
That peeling paint is an issue. If you can't paint, make sure the floor your daughter is on is wet mopped. Since she's crawling, she gets her hands on the lead dust on the floor and then puts it into her mouth. That's the biggest source of contamination in kids her age. Also, are there any places that she's eating the paint chips--they are sweet and kids like them. Base boards and window ledges where where she may pull up are the most common culprits. We haven't been able to paint many rooms in the house, so we just made sure we gently wet scraped the flakiest spots and kept the floor mopped. Once she could walk it was alot less work. My daughter knows she's not supposed to touch certain windowsills and still says "that's poison" when she's at certain windows. I'll quit because I'm sure you'll have lots of folks giving you ideas. Lots of non-AP kids get lead poisoning, so that's just silly. Good luck and hang in there. Amelia's mommy.
mom at home
Member posted 07-19-2001 01:18 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rastamom,
Lots of great advice already posted. I would also recommend getting a lead testing kit. Here you can get them at Fred Meyer, probably at any large dept/superstore. That way you can find out if the peeling paint is the source. I would test all areas of your house. Then you can deal with those specific areas if it's the paint.
We have always lived in old houses. One thing I have always done is have my kids blood tested about every year. It's a bit of a drag for them to have the blood drawn, but I feel it's a necessary evil as then you can catch it early if there is a slight rise as in the case of Kaya. I'm glad you caught it quick. I can imagine how scared you must feel.
Alison
LMK
Member posted 07-19-2001 04:35 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We have lead paint in our home too and it worries me. I was told that a good prevention method is to make sure you wash your child's hands before they eat. This way if there is lead paint dust/particles on their hands they are not ingesting them.
laurajean
Member posted 07-19-2001 06:48 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rastamama,
Another way to restrict absorption of lead is to boost iron levels. The body mistakenly absorbs lead if iron levels are not high. So, if you boost Kaya's iron levels than the lead will not readily absorb.
~laurajean
boysrus
Member posted 07-19-2001 09:30 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
also increase her calcium intake. do a search for calcium and lead poisoning and you will find lots of info on the amounts to supplement. my pastors son tested high for lead and the only recommended course of action was calcium supplements and when he was retested the level was normal.
oh, and being a bad housekeeper just makes you a bad housekeeper, not a bad mother!
happyday8598
Member posted 07-20-2001 10:44 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rastamom, I can't help as far as information goes, but I just wanted to send out my loving thoughts for you and your little girl!!
Don't feel like it's your fault! There is nothing you have done purposely, and I KNOW you wouldn't WANT harm for Kaya. All you can do now is educate yourself, and have faith in the Universe that Kaya will remain healthy.
Please keep us updated as to the results of the next test! Your family is in my thoughts!
Love,
Emily
rastamom
Member posted 07-20-2001 02:32 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey!! Thank you al for the info and advice and support!!
Kaya's lab work-up cam e back today and the official lead level is 9.6!! This is consiered "normal range" and she's fine.
However, I learned a lot about where lead can be lurking (the ink of plastic bread bags...not a good idea to turn them inside out and re-use them!!) and we have had paint samples taken from our house to be tested. I will also be more vigilant about her paper eating habit. (the ink may contain lead, even in children's books)
So, I will take iron and calcium supplements to help with the small amount in her system, but WOW, do I feel relieved!!!
happyday8598
Member posted 07-21-2001 03:36 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YEAH!!!
It's best to be safe, so I think it's GREAT you're still doing testing!!!
I was worried for a second! (or more! )
Emily
DarcyH
Member posted 07-22-2001 03:04 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Congratulations! That's wonderful news. So glad Kaya's levels are normal this time around.
Thanks for the info on ink in plastic bags, etc. I had NO idea. Kind of scary the things we expose our kids to without knowing, isn't it? You'd think if they put our food in it, it would be food grade.
Mothering Boards
Alternative and Complementary Medicine Archive
Lead Levels!
This topic was originally posted in this forum: Alternative and Complementary Medicine
Author Topic: Lead Levels!
rastamom
Member posted 07-18-2001 07:45 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kaya had her 10 month check-up last week. they did a finger stick to check lead levels. Today we got a call saying we needed to do bloodwork at the lab for more accuracy. The stick came up with 20. The nurse told DH that 0-9 was normal, 10-19 they don't retest, so she was on the border. If the lab test comes back 20 or higher they report it to the health department and they come find the source in our house. Which is good, but then you're a "case" and they re-check the baby and your home every 3 months.
So, I'm kind of freaking out. We live in an old house and there are 3 rooms upstairs that have peeling paint. I feel so horribly guilty. I should have been more on top of it. i kept saying we need to get the rooms re-painted but it's so expensive!
Our town water also has high-ish levels of lead and a while back (6 months ago or so) we put a "pur" brand filter on the kitchen sink. But then I remembered that Kaya has a bathtoy that sqirts water and she always squirts it into her mouth. And we have two really old enamal pots from the '50's ( those pastel ones) that we use to cook her rice or oatmeal in. Is the paint LEAD based?? The health dept. says proably not. I'm so freaked out about how I could have exposed her to it.
I read an old thread here about ink containing lead. She has an obsession with eating her board books and paper. Maybe it's that.
My house is a pig-sty. It is SO hard to keep it clean cuz it's too cluttered to know where to start. So, I feel so guilty for not providing her with a clean, safe house.
But how can I clean all day and still care for her properly? DH helps clean but also makes giant messes. It's SO hard to keep up.
My mom jumped all over AP style parenting tonight when i told her about the lead and how I have a hard time finding the time to clean. (nothing new!)It has never come naturally to me. Even before the baby I wasn't the greatest housekeeper.
I would do just about anything to have a cleaning service weekly.
I feel like if the house was clean Kaya would not have come in contact with lead.
The woman at the lab treated us like total trash. I think it was because of what we were there for. She also commented twice on how Kaya was "so small!" Her attitude just compounded my shame. I feel so ignorant for allowing my baby to get lead into her system.
Everything feels so out of control!
SonyaJ
Member posted 07-18-2001 08:38 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rastamom,
I'm sorry to hear your scary news. (((hugs)))
I've always been worried about lead because we've lived in older apartments and now a house that I know has lead paint in. Fortunately dd #1 has never been much of a mouther, but I worry about when #2 gets a little bigger. . .
There is a lot of info out there on how to reduce lead paint exposure, and it sounds like you're doing the right thing with the water filter. Did you know that hot water can have 10 times as much lead as cold? Because it leaches off the pipes (if you have any lead in your pipes) much more easily. That's why you should always cook with cold water and also be vigilant about not letting kids drink bath water (which is so hard!!). Dd loves to suck on the washcloth any chance she gets.
One thing you shouldn't do is go ahead and scrape those upstairs rooms and repaint. They recommend only hiring certified contractors to do it (which I"m sure cost a lot) because you're supposed to take special precautions. Any dry scraping or sanding can put lead dust in the air like crazy where everyone breathes it in.
One way to reduce lead dust is to dust windowsills and other areas that collect dust and are within kids' reach. I've heard it's best to do this with a damp paper towel, then throw it away. I'm not sure why they don't recommend using a rag and washing it -- I guess the lead must then go into the septic system.
Anyway, this has nothing to do with your parenting style! You are doing the best thing you can for Kaya. A little more vigilance in certain areas of cleaning *might* help things out, but it's so hard to tell what's causing it. I'd recommend getting one of those home lead testing kits and rubbing it on the peeling paint, the pans, etc.
I know how scary it can be (we discovered the house we're renting is just chok full of lead paint a day after signing a lease -- ARGH). I wish you the best.
s.
[This message has been edited by SonyaJ (edited 07-18-2001).]
Stacie
Member posted 07-19-2001 06:51 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have a son with Autism who test extremely high in lead, arsenic, antimony, mercury and several others.
I can sympathize with your fears.
I would suggest to obtain a hair sample of your child and send it to DDI http://www.doctorsdata.com. They do wonderful hair testing and "essential" elements testing. They will also test for other toxins.
My son is currently undergoing chelation therapy to remove the toxins from his body with great improvements and success.
If you wish to email me my address is slalmquist@aol.com. I will be able to give you tons of information regarding heavy metals toxicity.
It is a good idea to have your home checked, most homes built before 1980 have either a lead based paint or have lead soldering in pipes. So lead is very easy to get. They will be able to give you ideas how to safely get rid of any lead that may be in your home. And will be able to find out where it may be coming from.
Best wishes, and please feel free to email me. I am very familiar with this.
Stacie
DarcyH
Member posted 07-19-2001 09:07 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rastamom:
Long post. I apologize in advance.
I would HIGHLY recommend picking up a copy of the book "Lead is a Silent Hazard" by Richard M. Stapleton. He documents all the major sources of lead contamination, how to manage them, and what to do if your child has high lead levels. It's a great book that every parent should read.
Please be aware that even if your house does have old lead paint, your child may have been exposed to more lead during the removal process as it gets into the air. So just because you live in an old house does not mean that the house paint is the cause of her exposure. It may or may not be.
Many states have programs which will help you pay for lead abatement in older homes. I believe info on who to contact in your state is also contained in the Stapleton book.
Water actually accounts for about 60% of the lead exposure most children get. Different facets also release different levels of lead into the water. It's great to have a water filter. However, the PUR water filter does not do a very thorough job of removing lead from the water. If you read their literature carefully, it removes upwards of 90% of the lead WHEN IT IS BRAND NEW. Lead removal rates drop SUBSTANTIALLY by the time it indicates that you need to replace it. Don't remember the exact number, but seem to want to say it's less than 60%. I would recommend searching for a water filter that removes upwards of 90% of lead for the entire life of the filter. You can usually find this info on the filter manufacturer's enclosed water filtration info -- usually in very small print somewhere at the bottom of the literature.
Stapleton's book seems to recommend reverse osmosis filtration systems. However, if you're in you determine water is one of the source of your lead exposure, I would not reverse osmosis. I know several chiropractors who have told me that they recommended reverse osmosis systems for their clients and then had to supplement them with minerals because their mineral levels dropped substantially when drinking RO water. Personal experience also shows this to be the case. My brother was hospitalized for mineral definciency after drinking only RO water for several years. Took him many months to recover and regain the vast weight loss he experienced.
Hope this info is helpful.
Darcy
babylover
Member posted 07-19-2001 12:47 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rastamom don't worry, Kaya's levels are low enough and being detected early enough that she will probably be just fine. You are not trash. Lead poisoning can happen to the best of us. As my dh would say, I'm a lead poisoning freak! We live in an old house that is covered with lead based paint both inside and out. We were also doing a huge remodel right when dd was born. I work in a children's hospital, so I knew the effects of lead poisoning and I just freaked. Don't be too hard on yourself about all the cleaning. Now that you know her levels are high, it will just take some minor adjustment. It will be worth it. I have a neighbor who's daughter tested a little high and the health deparment got involved (where I live they get involved at 15). They have been so helpful to them and her daughter's levels are down and she's doing fine. So, use the health deparment to your advantage--they should have some great suggestions. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) actually have a great document at the following site: www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/lead.htm. Click onto "Preventing Lead Poisoning in young children document" It has sections on how feed kids, and how to reduce the lead in your home based on the level of lead found in your child's blood. It was very helpful for me as we now start on painting the exterior of the house which is also full of lead paint.
That peeling paint is an issue. If you can't paint, make sure the floor your daughter is on is wet mopped. Since she's crawling, she gets her hands on the lead dust on the floor and then puts it into her mouth. That's the biggest source of contamination in kids her age. Also, are there any places that she's eating the paint chips--they are sweet and kids like them. Base boards and window ledges where where she may pull up are the most common culprits. We haven't been able to paint many rooms in the house, so we just made sure we gently wet scraped the flakiest spots and kept the floor mopped. Once she could walk it was alot less work. My daughter knows she's not supposed to touch certain windowsills and still says "that's poison" when she's at certain windows. I'll quit because I'm sure you'll have lots of folks giving you ideas. Lots of non-AP kids get lead poisoning, so that's just silly. Good luck and hang in there. Amelia's mommy.
mom at home
Member posted 07-19-2001 01:18 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rastamom,
Lots of great advice already posted. I would also recommend getting a lead testing kit. Here you can get them at Fred Meyer, probably at any large dept/superstore. That way you can find out if the peeling paint is the source. I would test all areas of your house. Then you can deal with those specific areas if it's the paint.
We have always lived in old houses. One thing I have always done is have my kids blood tested about every year. It's a bit of a drag for them to have the blood drawn, but I feel it's a necessary evil as then you can catch it early if there is a slight rise as in the case of Kaya. I'm glad you caught it quick. I can imagine how scared you must feel.
Alison
LMK
Member posted 07-19-2001 04:35 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
We have lead paint in our home too and it worries me. I was told that a good prevention method is to make sure you wash your child's hands before they eat. This way if there is lead paint dust/particles on their hands they are not ingesting them.
laurajean
Member posted 07-19-2001 06:48 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
rastamama,
Another way to restrict absorption of lead is to boost iron levels. The body mistakenly absorbs lead if iron levels are not high. So, if you boost Kaya's iron levels than the lead will not readily absorb.
~laurajean
boysrus
Member posted 07-19-2001 09:30 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
also increase her calcium intake. do a search for calcium and lead poisoning and you will find lots of info on the amounts to supplement. my pastors son tested high for lead and the only recommended course of action was calcium supplements and when he was retested the level was normal.
oh, and being a bad housekeeper just makes you a bad housekeeper, not a bad mother!
happyday8598
Member posted 07-20-2001 10:44 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rastamom, I can't help as far as information goes, but I just wanted to send out my loving thoughts for you and your little girl!!
Don't feel like it's your fault! There is nothing you have done purposely, and I KNOW you wouldn't WANT harm for Kaya. All you can do now is educate yourself, and have faith in the Universe that Kaya will remain healthy.
Please keep us updated as to the results of the next test! Your family is in my thoughts!
Love,
Emily
rastamom
Member posted 07-20-2001 02:32 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey!! Thank you al for the info and advice and support!!
Kaya's lab work-up cam e back today and the official lead level is 9.6!! This is consiered "normal range" and she's fine.
However, I learned a lot about where lead can be lurking (the ink of plastic bread bags...not a good idea to turn them inside out and re-use them!!) and we have had paint samples taken from our house to be tested. I will also be more vigilant about her paper eating habit. (the ink may contain lead, even in children's books)
So, I will take iron and calcium supplements to help with the small amount in her system, but WOW, do I feel relieved!!!
happyday8598
Member posted 07-21-2001 03:36 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
YEAH!!!
It's best to be safe, so I think it's GREAT you're still doing testing!!!
I was worried for a second! (or more! )
Emily
DarcyH
Member posted 07-22-2001 03:04 AM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Congratulations! That's wonderful news. So glad Kaya's levels are normal this time around.
Thanks for the info on ink in plastic bags, etc. I had NO idea. Kind of scary the things we expose our kids to without knowing, isn't it? You'd think if they put our food in it, it would be food grade.
