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Lead poisoning is common, sneaky and deadly. Exposure to lead-based paint is
the primary source of lead poisoning, especially in children, and in urban
centers like New York where housing is older, the health risks are higher. Lead
interferes with bone formation and is stored in the body. It accumulates in the
brain, and the kidneys, and disrupts the reproductive functions of both men and
women.
Health Hazards of Lead Paint
There is no amount of lead in the body that is considered “safe”; there is no
place for it in the body. When lead is present in the blood, it means it is
interfering, blocking or competing with enzymes and nutrients that are essential
for the body to correctly function.
Since lead has no place in the blood, no lowest threshold has been identified
for its harmful effects. However, in 1991, the Centers for Disease Control in
October redefined toxicity as blood lead levels at or above 10 micrograms per
deciliter (mg/dL), the level at which some adverse health effects have been
observed. Even at that low exposure, experts believe children suffer permanent
neurological damage, decreased intelligence, short-term memory loss and have
increased behavior problems.
In adults, lead can increase blood pressure and cause fertility problems,
nerve disorders, muscle and joint pain, irritability, and memory or
concentration problems. It takes a significantly greater level of exposure to
lead for adults than it does for children to sustain adverse health effects.
If a woman had been exposed to enough lead as a child, pregnancy can cause
the lead to be released from her bones, where it is stored, and easily
transferred to the fetus. This also happens during menopause.
Prevalence of Lead Paint in New York
Here in the state of New York, annual screenings have increased, but blood
lead levels remain high in our children. New York State regulations require
health care providers to screen all children for blood lead levels at ages 1 and
2, with a risk assessment history followed by a blood lead test up to age 6.
State analysis indicates that 62 percent of children born between 1994 and 1999
received a blood screen by 24 months of age. An additional 30 percent of
children were screened with a blood lead level after age 24 months, for an
overall screening rate of 92 percent by age 6.
Of the children screened a second time, 8 percent were found to have a newly
elevated blood lead level at or above 10 mcg/dL on second screening, emphasizing
the importance of a second screening test even when an initial screening test is
negative.
Despite significant gains in the struggle against childhood lead poisoning in
New York State, elimination of this preventable condition has not yet been
achieved. In 2001, 5,258 children, or 2.7 percent of all children under age 6
years of age in the state (excluding New York City), had elevated blood lead
levels of 10 mcg/dL or higher.
In New York City, more than 35,000 children were newly identified as having
elevated blood levels over the last five years. The numbers are likely far
higher, since less than a third of children are actually tested – tests required
by state law.
A Word to Parents
Children under the age of 6 are most at risk for lead poisoning because their
developing bodies and brains are sensitive to even small amounts of lead. Being
exposed at such an early age can leave children with irreversible injury that
does not appear until many years after lead exposure.
Lead poisoning is not easy to detect. Sometimes no symptoms occur, and
sometimes the symptoms are the same as those of more common illnesses. Some
of the early signs and symptoms of lead poisoning in children are:
- Persistent tiredness or hyperactivity
- Irritability
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Reduced attention span
- Difficulty sleeping
- Constipation
Diagnosis of lead poisoning is difficult without medical testing. In
communities where the houses are old and deteriorating, take advantage of
available screening programs offered by local health departments and have
children checked regularly to see if they are suffering from lead poisoning.
Protecting Your Family and Your Rights
Belluck & Fox LLP works for children and families of those
who suffer from lead poisoning in lawsuits for money damages. While the damage
caused by lead poisoning is permanent and unrecoverable, economic recovery can
help a victim receive special education, occupational therapy, medical care and
other support. As with other personal injury and toxic tort cases, lead-paint
poisoning cases demand the attention of attorneys experienced with lead
poisoning lawsuits.
Know your legal rights. If your child or your family member
has been exposed to lead-based products such as chipping lead paint, or you have
experienced lead poisoning symptoms, you
may be eligible to file a claim. Contact the attorneys of Belluck & Fox LLP. |
