Lead poisoning is more common than you think.

Know the possible signs of lead poisoning, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, lack of appetite, irritability, apathy, hysteria, or seizures.

Lead has long been recognized as a harmful environmental pollutant.

There are many ways that humans are exposed to lead and most of the time we are not even aware of it.

Here are some family health ideas to help you protect yourself and your family.

Lead in the air enters the body when a person breathes in lead particles or swallows some lead dust.

Until recently, the most important source of lead in the air was automobile exhaust.

Since 1975, there has been a 95 percent reduction in the use of lead in gasoline due to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Phase-out Program and the replacement of older cars with newer cars that require the use of unleaded gasoline .

Looking for sources of lead in your home and surrounding areas can be crucial to protecting your family members, especially children and pets.

The effects of lead paint, house dust, lead crystal, and some imported ceramics have now been determined.

Children are considered to be at the highest risk of exposure because they have such intimate contact with the environment.

Their faster metabolism makes them eat more for their body weight and breathe faster.

Children also tend to play and breathe closer to the ground, where lead dust is concentrated. They are also likely to put their hands in their mouths, which can carry lead directly into their bodies.

Parents can take several steps to help protect their children from the effects of lead in the home environment.

Cover peeling or exposed paint with wood paneling or vinyl wallpaper. Removing the paint will release more lead into the environment, and a new layer of paint can peel off, re-exposing the paint beneath it.

Also, lead and lead salts are toxic to pets. Pets are curious by nature and are prone to scratching, scratching, and picking up peeling materials.

To minimize the risk to your pet, watch what you put in your mouth!

These toxic lead salts can be found in things as common as insecticides and linoleum.

Be careful when doing any type of remodeling, such as removing old paint, replacing linoleum on floors, counters, etc. Keep pets and children away from jobsites and construction materials.

Properly dispose of any LED material and immediately remove it from the premises.

When a pet shows gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms, lead poisoning could be to blame and you should contact your vet as soon as possible.

Many water mains are still made of lead, so household water must be tested for lead. If there is lead in your water, let it run for a few minutes before using it.

Use cold or bottled water to prepare food or baby formula because hot water tends to leach more lead.

Iron deficiency anemia is a common problem among one and two year old children that predisposes them to eat non-food substances and causes them to absorb more lead into their bodies.

If lead exposure is suspected, check with your health department about proper removal and cleanup procedures.

In addition, people who may have been recently exposed to lead or lead dust should have their blood lead levels tested by their doctor or local health department.

May these family health ideas help protect you and your family from lead poisoning so you can live a healthy and happy life.

warmly,

I-key Benney, CEO