Weekly Journal Post #6

CHILDREN SUFFER FROM LEAD POISONING AT THEIR OWN HOME

In Milwaukee Blanca Dela Cruz's 3 year old son, Miguel was poisoned by lead according to the City Health Department. Last February over a course of a couple of days Miguel was acting strange. The little boy was clumsy, irritable, and high strung which led Blanca to seek for medical attention for Miguel. A blood test reported Miguel's blood lead level at 33 ug/dL, a few more points and Miguel can be in serious condition. It is a red alert sign for pediatricians when a child's blood tests shows lead levels of 10 ug/dL. After the incident an inspector visited the home to see the cause of the lead poisoning. The lead was coming from paint dust created by years of opening and closing the windows.

The U.S. Government banned lead paint in 1978 and oil companies began to phase out leaded gasoline in 1975. However, nearly decades after the paint ban hundreds and thousands of children mostly under 6 years old show signs of lead exposure. The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that one in four children living in housing with deteriorated painting was not aware of the dangers in the past.

Economists and researchers plan to wipe out lead poisoning in a few years by finding every home in America built before the 1960s and replace the old lead painted windows with a new one.

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