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Q&A: Lead paint dangers?

I know lead poisoning is bad, but what exactly are the risks? What are signs that my child might be in trouble, and what can I do about it?

Re: I know lead poisoning is bad, but what exactly are the risks? What are signs that my child might be in trouble, and what can I do about it?

The Bump Expert

The lead paint picture isn't pretty. Toxic levels can lead to all sorts of intellectual and neurological disabilities, developmental delays, behavioral problems, kidney disease, anemia, and -- not to scare freak you out too bad but, worst case scenario -- death. Even "low levels" may be associated with learning issues and decreased IQ.

Thanks to their tendency to put oh... anything in their mouths, kids under three are at greatest risk. Lead paint chips often have a sweet taste, making it especially dangerous -- check out these tips for keeping your home safe. Also, only let baby teethe on age appropriate toys, and never let him put anything with peeling paint in his mouth.

If you think baby might have been exposed to lead, ask your pediatrician to check his lead levels. All children also receive these tests routinely, so baby may actually have already been checked out.

Paula Kashtan | May 11 , 2009 2:01 PM

Q&A: Lead paint dangers?

I'm an Industrial Hygenist by trade and for two years I worked in lead based paint research while completing my masters at university. Lead based paint is dangerous and you should not let your child eat paint chips, but what most people don't realize is that lead dust is a major issue. If your windows and doors have lead based paint, when they open and close the friction causes small particles of lead to become airborne and fall to the ground. Many older homes also have contaminated soil under the eaves of their houses and some pipes have lead contaminated water as well, depending on the age. The good news is on walls, unless there is obvious peeling or chipping you can easily encapsulate them with a solid coat of paint. Doors and windows should be tested and PROFESSIONALLY abated- this is not a DIY job! If your water is contaminated using a faucet filter and simply letting the water run for a few minutes is a great idea. You should wet mop and wet wipe all surfaces in older homes at least once a week to help get "lead dust" up and as mentioned above, if you are concerned don't hesitate to talk to your pediatrician or local health clinic.

retroeva | August 23 , 2009 12:05 AM

Q&A: Lead paint dangers?

The risks associated w/ Lead poisoning are numerous. Neurocognitive Effects include: Developmental delays, Lowered IQ scores. Speech & language delays, reading skill deficits, visual problems, learning disabilities, and lowered academic success. Most Pediatric offices routinely screen for lead poisoning and when in doubt ask that your child be screened.

blueandkobe | May 30 , 2010 2:09 PM

Q&A: Lead paint dangers?

You want to make sure you check the recall lists for toys that are painted, sometimes they will catch toys and let you return them due to high lead

hope4midnight | January 18 , 2011 2:17 AM

Q&A: Lead paint dangers?

I live in a very old house that did have lead paint. My daughter tested positive and unfortunately her level went up to 9. At 10 is when they do chelation which is a process to remove heavy metals such as lead from the body. Our spectacular land lord took care of the lead paint situation and our daughters level is slowly declining. Thank God it didn't affect her negatively, but if you live in a house with ANY lead paint, get it taken care of before baby comes. Our paint was not obviously flaking or damaged but as a PP stated there is dust, which was enough for our little one crawling on the floor and putting everything in her mouth to ingest

CNAMamaof2 | January 19 , 2011 11:00 PM

Q&A: Lead paint dangers?

Lead paint if injested can be found to contribute to Autism in children as young as 2 yrs. Your best bet... check for lead paint...a special pencil from your hardware store is the cheap and easy way to test. If the paint turns pinkish red there is lead in the paint.

kitkatt01 | February 08 , 2011 2:36 PM

Q&A: Lead paint dangers?

Our house is 1941 -- we just had to remove our fireplace mantle because it had flaking lead paint. I got a test at Lowe's and sure enough -- it had high levels. Besides careful housecleaning, I run a large HEPA air filter in each main room of our house, which filters out lead dust well, not to mention pet dander! You can find those HEPA systems at Walmart or other big box stores, starting at $50.

atomicemmy | August 08 , 2011 12:57 PM

Q&A: Lead paint dangers?

Now is the time to prepare for an emergency, before one arises. Before your baby is discharged, go to the hospital where your baby is most likely to be readmitted. Know the fastest route from your house, and an alternate route, as well as the locations of the hospital’s emergency entrance, parking, and admitting office.-Any Lab Test Now

shantelle1015 | November 13 , 2011 5:10 AM

Q&A: Lead paint dangers?

The most important thing that you have to do as a mother is to keep the house safe for your child. I clean my house very often and get rid of stuff I don't need, I use dumpster rental Dayton Ohio services a lot! What's weird is that I always find in the house items that are dangerous for my kid, in places where he can reach them. You can never get rid of them all

MiaWeiman | February 17 , 2012 4:32 PM

Q&A: Lead paint dangers?

Parents should take all cautionary measures in order for the house not to present any potential threat to the baby`s health. I remember we did so many things for this matter that we almost became obsessive about it at some given point. Anyway, the household pests services were of great use, the baby-proofing and the changes we made around the house did enhance the safety conditions for our baby. You know, sometimes it`s better to be responsible, even if you risk to exagerate a bit.

conquerer | March 21 , 2012 6:34 AM

Q&A: Lead paint dangers?

Your question is very hard for me to answer. I always feel responsibility for my children. I always pass through and have bad presentiment about my kids. So sometimes I can't cope with anxiety and start ordering alcohol online. But I understand that it can badly influence on my health, so I try to stop it...

RoseWillington | May 10 , 2012 4:18 PM

Q&A: Lead paint dangers?

It can damage nervous system, stunted growth, kidney damage, and delayed development. It is mainly dangerous to children because it tastes sweet, encouraging children to eat lead chips and toys. Not only for kids Lead paint is also dangerous to adults and can cause problems in reproductive system.

harun55 | Yesterday 3:22 AM

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