A recent study estimates nearly 70 percent of children under age six in Chicago may be exposed to tap water that contains lead. This study reports numbers for Chicago, but everyone should be aware of the dangers of lead exposure.
Lead is an element that is found in nature but can be toxic to humans in larger amounts. Lead exposure happens when a child touches, swallows or breathes in lead. This can happen from drinking water from lead pipes, eating pieces of chipping paint or breathing dust from old paint.
Effects of lead exposure
The health effects of lead exposure are more harmful to children less than six years of age because their bodies are still developing and growing rapidly. Young children also tend to put their hands or other objects, which may contain lead dust, into their mouths, so they are more likely to be exposed to lead than older children.
Once a child swallows lead, their blood lead level rises quickly. When a child’s exposure to lead stops, the amount of lead in the blood gradually decreases. The child’s body releases some of the lead through urine, sweat and feces.
Many things affect how a child’s body handles exposure to lead, including:
- Child’s age
- Nutritional status
- Source of lead exposure
- Length of time the child was exposed
- Presence of other underlying health conditions
Exposure to lead can seriously harm a child’s health and cause serious effects such as:
- Damage to the brain and nervous system
- Slowed growth and development
- Learning and behavior problems
- Hearing and speech problems
These problems can cause lower IQ, decreased ability to pay attention and underperformance in school. Childhood exposure to lead can also cause long-term harm.
Symptoms of lead exposure
Most children have no obvious immediate symptoms. If you think your child may have been exposed to lead, talk to your child’s primary care provider (PCP) about getting a blood lead test. PCPs and most local health departments can test for lead in the blood.
Aetna Better Health® of Illinois covers the cost of this testing for children enrolled in our plan. Call Member Services at 1-866-329-4701 (TTY:711) if you need help making an appointment or arranging transportation to your child’s doctor’s visit.
Preventing lead exposure
- Protecting children from exposure to lead is important. Even low levels of lead in blood have been shown to have negative effects. The good news is that childhood lead exposure is preventable.
- Prevention is the most important step that parents, health care providers and others can take. Here are some ways to make your home lead safe:
- Talk with your child’s doctor about a simple blood lead test. If you are pregnant or nursing, talk with your doctor about exposure to sources of lead.
- Talk with your local health department about testing paint and dust in your home for lead if you live in a home built before 1978.
- Renovate safely. Common renovation activities (like sanding, cutting, replacing windows and more) can create hazardous lead dust. If you’re planning renovations, use contractors certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (visit EPA.gov/lead for information).
- Remove recalled toys and toy jewelry and discard in a safe manner. Stay up-to-date on current recalls by visiting the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s website: CPSC.gov.
Check out this video to learn more tips on how to create a healthy home free of lead.