Question

Discussion Question: Discuss the health effects of lead exposure upon children. What are the potential sources of lead exposure for children? From your assigned readings, discuss specific measures that parents residing in the United States can practice in their home residences to prevent or reduce these exposures.

Answer 1

Young children are more prone to the adverse effects of lead exposure. Even if mothers are exposed to lead, it crosses the placental barrier and the unborn child gets affected. Developing baby's nervous system gets affected.For children, lead exposure creates many problems in body. Nervous system and brain is significantly impaired. Problems related to learning, reading, hearing,delayed growth etc occurs. If affected with higher dose, permanent brain damage or even death can occur. It causes kidney damage, cause unconsciousness, coma and death. The health effects also includes anemia, weakness etc.

Lead is a toxic substance that accumulates in the body.,it is a cumulative substance, and affects multiple body systems.

The sources of lead: mining, smelting, manufacturing and recycle activities. Also in certain fules, gadoline ad aviation fuel there is lead content. Lead is also used in pigments, paints, stained glass, jewellery, toys,etc. Toys if containing lead is usef by children, as children has age appropraite behavior - hand to mouth behavior ,thus places hand inside mouth thus ingesting it ,leading to greater damage. Also in paints, lead if present, children sometimes show a kind of behavior- pick away ad eat. They pick the paint and eat, or if somewhere the paint is chip off, they take it and ingest it. These can cause great damage. Leaded pipes cause damage. As water flows through it, when the water is taken inside, lead also goes inside thebody. Inhalation during smelting, recycling, and inhalation leaded fuels causes lead intake.

The strategies parents can adopt are if they came to know that the child has ingested lead, take fast measures to get them to hospital for further care. Prevention starts with housing. Houses including little children should avoid leaded paints. The house should be cleaned everytime. Children should not be allowed to go near old windows, they may pick away paint and eat, or do not allow them to go near any plants which make use of lead. Dont allow children to play in dirt, the dirt may contain some leaded particles and the child may ingest it. Water should be filtered prior to giving it to the child ensuring no content of lead is present. Always tell your child to wash hands, so that nothing enters their mouth through the dirt in their hands. Helathy diet should be maintained.