Lead Poisoning in Wisconsin for Parents/Adults

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Lead Poisoning in Wisconsin for
Parents/Adults What do I need to know to keep my
child safe? Presented by Wisconsin School
Nurses Wisconsin Childhood Lead Poisoning
Prevention Program Implementation and Oversight
Committee (IOC) Education Workgroup Division of
Public Health Department of Health Services

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Lead Poisoning in Wisconsin

• Wisconsin specific data
• Cause and effects of childhood, youth adult
  lead poisoning
• Sources of lead exposure for children, youth and
  adults
• What should you do if you are lead poisoned
• How to prevent lead poisoning
• Resources for information

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Introduction

• Lead poisoning is the most serious environmental
  health threat facing young children in the U.S.
• Lead poisoning interferes with the normal
  development of a childs brain causing learning
  difficulties and a greater likelihood of behavior
  problems.

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Introduction

• Lead poisoning can be prevented by
• Controlling lead hazards
• Decreasing lead exposure

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• Wisconsin-Specific Data

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Lead poisoning in Wisconsin is a statewide
problem. Each red dot represents an address
associated with a lead-poisoned child since
1996. More than 46,000 children.
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Wisconsin vs. U.S.

• The rate of lead poisoning in Wisconsin in 2006
  was more than double the national average
• 2.5 of Wisconsin children that were tested were
  found to be poisoned
• Versus 1.2 of all other children in the U.S.

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2nd in Midwest States
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Effects of Lead on Children, Youth and Adults
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How Lead Affects Children

• A child is at risk of lead exposure if the child
  is under the age of 6 and
• lives in home or regularly visits a daycare built
  before 1950
• lives in home or regularly visits a daycare built
  before 1978 with recent renovation/remodeling
• has a sibling who is lead-poisoned
• is eligible for Medicaid or WIC services

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How Lead Affects Children

• Why are young children at greater risk?
• Normal hand-to-mouth behavior
• Rapidly developing nervous
• system - vulnerable to the
• effects of lead
• Higher rate of absorption

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How Lead Affects Children

• How does lead get into the body?
• Ingested - mouth (most common
• source of exposure for children)
• Inhaled - nose (occupational exposure)
• Lead dust is not absorbed through the skin.

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How Lead Affects Children

• The toxic effects of lead on the brain disrupt
  normal brain development and can affect school
  performance
• Lower IQ
• Memory problems
• Learning disabilities
• Speech and Language delays
• Hearing loss
• Low self esteem

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How Lead Affects Children

• The behavioral effects of lead poisoning can
  result in
• Aggression and hostility
• Hyperactivity and distractibility
• Classroom disruptions

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How Lead Affects Youth and Adults

• A young person or adult is at risk of lead
  exposure if they
• Work in an occupation that uses lead
• Renovate a home that was built before 1978
• Have a hobby that uses lead, such as
• Reloading bullets or target shooting
• Casting fishing weights
• Stained glass or ceramics

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How Lead Affects Youth and Adults

• Symptoms that can be related to lead include
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Sleep disturbances
• Memory problems
• Muscle/joint aches and pains
• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss
• Infertility problems, miscarriages

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How Lead Affects Youth

• The behavioral effects of teenagers exposed to
  lead as a child can result in
• Increased high school dropout rate
• Juvenile delinquency
• Teenage pregnancy
• 5x more likely to smoke tobacco
• Committing the most violent crimes as youth and
  adults.

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How Lead Affects Youth

• A recent study showed that youth who have been
  lead poisoned may feel
• Panic
• Depression

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How Lead Affects Adults

• Long term effects related to childhood lead
  exposure as well as adult exposure can include
  such things as
• High blood pressure, heart attack, stroke
• Premature death because of the above
• Neurological problems
• Kidney disease
• Mood disorders such as hostility or depression
• Memory loss and Alzheimers disease

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How do I know if anyone in my family is lead
poisoned?

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Blood Lead Testing

• The only way to know if a child or an adult is
  lead poisoned is to have a blood lead test.
• Capillary blood draw
• Venous blood draw (A venous blood draw is
  recommended for adults)

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Blood Lead Testing

• Wisconsin follows federal Medicaid requirements
  that all Medicaid-eligible children should be
  tested at
• Age 1
• Again at age 2 and
• Between ages of 3-5 years if they were not
  tested previously.

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Blood Lead Testing

• Wisconsin also follows CDC recommendations to
  test all children under age 6 who
• live in a home built before 1950 or a home built
  before 1978 that is being renovated.
• spend time in an older home (i.e. daycare,
  grandparents or other relatives).
• have a sibling who was lead poisoned.

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Nutrition is Important!

• Role of Nutrition-Vitamins and Minerals
• Lead replaces calcium
• Adequate iron decreases lead absorption
• Vitamin C enhances iron absorption
• Zinc, Thiamin and Vitamin E reduce toxic effects
  of lead.

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Nutrition is Important!

• Children should have full stomachs and eat at
  regular intervalsevery 3-4 hours-so they absorb
  less lead (more lead is absorbed with an empty
  stomach).
• All ages.. Eat a balanced diet not high fat
  diet (more lead is absorbed with high fat diet).
• Run tap water 2-3 minutes before drinking or
  mixing formula use only cold water for cooking
  and formula preparation

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What happens if someone in my family is lead
poisoned?

• With all ages the goal is to decrease the blood
  lead level as rapidly as possible.
• With young children, because their brain is
  rapidly developing, it is especially important
  to
• Prevent prolonged exposure of the central nervous
  system to lead
• Prevent exposure of other children by reducing or
  controlling lead hazards

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What happens if someone in my family is lead
poisoned?
Your medical doctor will give you guidance and
tell you how often you need to have the blood
lead level checked. Your local health department
may contact you if your child is under age 6.
They may request to do a home visit to help you
find the source of the lead exposure and complete
a developmental assessment of your child. Adults
may receive information from the state Adult
Blood Lead Program (ABLES) when their blood lead
level exceeds the guidelines set by OSHA.
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Preventing Lead Poisoning
In Wisconsin, for a child who is chronically
exposed to lead, it can take an average of 2
years for the blood lead level to drop from a
level of 20mcg/dL or more to below 10mcg/dL. The
life-long impact of lead toxicity on a childs
development makes PREVENTION urgent.
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Prevention means Eliminating Risk Factors in the
Home

• Are there risk factors for lead exposure in the
  childs home?
• Painted or varnished surfaces are deteriorated
• Home is near heavy traffic or industrial areas
• Vinyl vertical or mini blinds test positive

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What Chipping and Peeling Paint Looks Like
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Obvious Hazards
alligatoring/checking paint
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Windows
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Exterior Hazards
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Porches
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Exterior porches toprails, decks and other
horizontal surfaces. The annual spring project.
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Preventing Lead Poisoning in Children
Treatment of the environment is the primary
solution. FIX THE HOUSE!
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Materials available from WCLPPP
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Materials available from WCLPPP
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SUMMARY

• Lead poisoning occurs in every county in WI
• Lead poisoning effects all ages affects brain
  development in children can cause future health
  problems for all ages.
• Sources of lead for various ages differ
• A blood lead test is the only way to know if a
  child, youth or adult is lead poisoned
• Prevent lead poisoning by being aware of hazards
  and taking steps to eliminate them correctly
• Contact your local health department or WCLPPP
  for information

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• Resources
• 1. Your Local Health Department
• 2. WCLPPP website dhs.wi.gov/lead
• 3. WCLPPP and ABLES Phone Number
• 608/266-5817

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