All About Lead

Let us get acquainted with few facts about lead

Are you aware to the following facts?

LEAD PERILS: Exposure to lead can severely affect health of young children and even babies in mother’s womb.

LEAD PERILS: Seemingly healthy children can have high levels of lead in their bodies.

LEAD PERILS: Inhaling or swallowing lead dust and/or eating contaminated soil and/or paint chips are common sources of lead exposure.

LEAD PERILS: Lead hazards can be reduced in many ways, more often than not lead-based paints which are in good condition do not comprise of a hazard. Though removing these paints in improper manner can cause serious lead hazards.

After reading some of very common facts about lead you must be inquisitive to know more, especially about how to protect your family from its hazards; you just need to go through below mentioned few simple steps:

Health Hazards of Lead

  • In Unites States Childhood lead exposure remains a major environmental health problem
  • Seemingly healthy children can have dangerous levels of lead in their bodies.
  • People can intake Lead in their body as a result of:
    • Exposing their bare hands to objects covered with lead dust and thereafter putting these contaminated hands in their mouths;
    • Eating paint chips or soil contaminated with lead;
    • Breathing in lead dust, especially when renovations work of a painted surfaces is taking place.
  • Children are more vulnerable to lead exposure than adults because:
    • Young children and babies are careless and they often put their hands and objects in their mouths. In case these objects are contaminated with lead dust it becomes pretty much easy to find its way inside the body.
    • Children’s ability to absorb lead is much greater than their adult counterparts, their brains and central nervous systems are much more receptive to the damaging effects of lead.
    • It is of utmost importance that high levels of lead exposure in children are deducted at an early stage, If not these children can suffer from:
    • Injury to their brain and nervous system;
    • Learning & behavioral issues;
    • Slower than normal growth rate
    • Problems with normal hearing; and
    • Continued headaches
  • Adults are no way safe from lead exposure related problems, they can suffer from:
    • Pregnancy related problems;
    • Additional reproductive problems (both in men and women);
    • Higher blood pressure levels;
    • Digestion related problems;
    • Nerve disorders;
    • Memory problems and loss of concentration; and
    • Muscular and joint pains

Places where exposure to lead may occur

Generally speaking there is a direct and positive relationship between age of your home and lead content you may be exposed to. The older the home, the more likely it was painted with lead based enamels and lead pipes were used for the plumbing. Both of these are potential health problems for your family.

A professional inspection and lead testing are essential to your family’s safety!

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