Childhood Lead PoisoningMary Bryant, MPH Student

Walden UniversityAspects of Environmental Health: Local to Global PUBH

6165-8Instructor: Dr. Jean Johnson

Spring Qtr, 2009

Childhood Lead Poisoning

Are you at risk?

To educate students on how lead poisoning occurs and to identify who is at risk and what measures can be taken to reduce this preventable health issue.

Purpose

Lead definition

Public Health Issue

Exposure

Health Risks

Prevention

√ for Understanding

Overview

What is lead?

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/images/leadtopic.gif

“…one of the most useful metals in the industrial world”

Aschengrau, A., & Seage, III G. R. (2008) Essentials of Epidemiology in Public Health (2nd ed.). Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett

Heavy metal

Blue-Gray color

Toxic

Chemical Element

Public Health Issue

Environmental Health Problem

Over 300,000 children affected

yearly

Causes many serious health

problems

Preventable and not contagious

Public Health Issue

Exposure

Exposure Pathways

Air Food Water Soil

Sources of lead

Paint

Toys

Soil

Water

Jewelry

Candy

Mexican and/or Central American Communities

Azarcon Greta

Bala Goli Pay-loo-ahGhasard

Beware of Home Remedies

Asian Indian and/or Middle Eastern Communities

Virginia Department of Health (n.d.) Lead Poisoning from Folk Home Remedies. Retrieved on May 6, 2009, from http://www.vdh.state.va.us/epidemiology/DEE/documents/Leadfolkremedy.pdf Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009) Folk Medicine and Childhood Lead Exposure. Retrieved on May 6, 2009 from http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/Lead/faq/folk%20meds.htm

Health Risks

Who is most at risk? Why?

Babies and children up to 6 years old

▶Hand-to-mouth actions

▶Playing in dirt

▶Eating items from the floor

▶Not washing hands often

▶Playing with lead-painted toys

“…at high levels of exposure, lead can severely damage the brain and kidneys in adults or children and ultimately cause death”

How is lead harmful?

▶Behavior problems

▶Impaired growth

▶Hearing problems

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2007) Toxicological Profile for Lead. Retrieved on March 10, 2009 from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp13.pdf

Mikael

▶ 4 years old

▶ Lives in a house built in 1958

▶ Loves to play in the dirt

▶ Has lots of painted toys

▶ Wears shoes in the house

▶ Goes by the 5 second rule

▶ Does not eat healthy foods

▶ Hates to wash his handsPersonal photograph by Mary Bryant

Prevention

Eat foods with Calcium, Vitamin C and Iron

Wash your hands regularly

Use cold water drinking

Take shoes off before coming inside

Tell people about lead poisoning

Seek help if you are at risk

Prevention

Eat healthy

Calcium•Milk

•Cheese

•Yogurt

Vitamin C• Oranges

• Kiwi

• Broccoli

Iron• Oatmeal

• Red meat

• Chicken

Ask your doctor

Talk with your parents

Test measures amount of lead in your blood

More than 10μg/dL lead is hazardous

Follow-up treatment may be required

Testing

√ for Understanding

1. You can get lead from drinking water True

2. Who is most vulnerable to lead poisoning Kids

3. Houses built before 1978 often contain lead paint

True

4. Wearing shoes in the house is a good thing False

5. Playing in dirt with old chipped paint is safe

False

6. Lead poisoning can be prevented True

7. Tell people about the dangers of lead poisoning

True

√ for Understanding

1. You can get lead from drinking water True or False

2. Who is most vulnerable to lead poisoning Kids or Adults

3. Houses built before 1978 often contain lead paint True

or False

4. Wearing shoes in the house is a good thing True or False

5. Playing in dirt with old chipped paint is safe True or False

6. Lead poisoning can be prevented True or False

7. Tell people about the dangers of lead poisoning True or

False

Know where lead is present!

Never wear shoes in the house!

Always wash your hands!

Eat healthy!

Ask your doctor, if you are at risk!

Tell others about the dangers of lead!!!

Conclusion

Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. (2007) Toxicological Profile for Lead. Retrieved

on March 10, 2009 from http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxprofiles/tp13.pdf

Aschengrau, A., & Seage, III G. R. (2008) Essentials of Epidemiology in Public Health (2nd ed.).

Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

CDC (2008) Preventing Lead Poisoning in Young Children. Retrieved on March 12, 2009 from

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/Publications/books/plpyc/chapter3.htm#Chapter%203

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2009) Folk Medicine and Childhood Lead Exposure.

Retrieved on May 6, 2009 from http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/Lead/faq/folk%20meds.htm

National Safety Council (2009) Lead Poisoning and Nutrition. Retrieved on May 7, 2009 from

http://www.nsc.org/resources/issues/articles/lead_nutrition.aspx

Virginia Department of Health (n.d.) Lead Poisoning from Folk Home Remedies. Retrieved on May

6, 2009, from

http://www.vdh.state.va.us/epidemiology/DEE/documents/Leadfolkremedy.pdf

References

Thank you for your time!