The San Francisco Chronicle reports that for the first time in 20 years a federal panel with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging the government to lower the threshold for lead poisoning in children. New research convinced members of the panel that children may be harmed from lead levels in their blood that are lower than the current standards.
The panel, named the Advisory Committee on Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention, has suggested lowering the definition of lead poisoning for children from 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood to 5 micrograms. This means that if the new standard is adopted, thousands more young children could be diagnosed with lead poisoning. Health officials estimate that as many as 250,000 kids may have lead poisoning, but with the new standard, the number may go up to 450,000.
Lead, which for years was a metal common in gasoline and paint, can severely harm a child’s kidneys, brain, and other vital organs. High levels of lead in the blood can cause convulsions, a coma, or even death, while lower levels can impair hearing and behavior, as well as reduce intelligence, among other problems. Too much lead in the bloodstream has also been determined to cause harm to developing brains and lead to a lower IQ. Victims of lead poisoning are often children who live in older homes that are rundown or under renovation, as the little one may pick up paint chips or dust and put it in his or her mouth. Children have also gotten lead poisoning from dust tracked in from industrial worksites or from soil contaminated by old leaded gasoline.
Finding out your child has lead poisoning can be devastating as the effects it can have are detrimental to a child’s health and well-being. If your child suffers from lead poisoning that you feel was caused by the negligence of another party, a skilled Baltimore lead poisoning lawyer can help. Steven H. Heisler, “The Injury Lawyer,” will help you obtain full compensation to help with your child’s medical bills and treatments. For a complimentary consultation, call (877) 228-4878.
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