Toxics in the Home 369
Like other toxics, lead gets into the body through eating or drinking, or
being absorbed through the skin. Lead can damage the kidneys and blood,
nerves, and digestive system. Very high levels of lead in the blood may cause
vomiting, staggering, muscle weakness, seizures, or coma. Health problems get
worse as the level of lead in the blood gets higher.
Signs
If you think someone has lead poisoning, test her blood at a health center or
clinic. By the time a person has signs of lead poisoning, there is already a lot of
lead in the person’s blood. This is why it is important to prevent lead poisoning
before it starts. Signs of lead poisoning include:
• being angry all the time.
• low appetite and low energy.
• difficulty sleeping.
• headaches.
• when young children lose skills
that they had before.
• anemia (weak blood).
• constipation (difficulty passing
stool).
• pain and cramping in the belly
(this is usually the first sign of a
high, toxic dose of lead poison).
Prevention
Preventing exposure to lead is the best treatment:
• Find out if local health authorities test water for lead. If your water is
high in lead, find a different water source for drinking and cooking.
• Let tap water run for a minute before drinking or cooking with it.
• Do not use pottery with lead glazes for eating or cooking.
• Avoid foods from cans that may be sealed with lead.
• Throw out old painted toys if you do not know if the paint contains lead.
• Do not store liquids in lead crystal containers, as lead can leach into
the liquid.
• Avoid growing food, building houses or digging wells on or
in soil that may contain lead. If you find batteries, paint
flakes, oil drums, and other industrial waste either
on or buried in the soil, it is a sign that the
soil may be contaminated.
• Wash hands before eating, especially if you
have been working or if children have been
playing outside.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012