Hazard Identification

What are some of the effects of the crisis? For any adult, lead poisoning can cause kidney problems, fatigue, lethargy, depression, and slower reaction time. However, adults require a higher level of lead in the blood to produce those effects. For pregnant women lead poisoning can can cause miscarriages and future health problems in a developing fetus. What about children? For children, lead poisoning affects the development of children's brains and nervous systems.

Once used for varying applications, lead is now known for its toxicity in the human body. Dr. Gary Goldstein, the chief executive of Kennedy Krieger Institute wrote, “Exposure to excessive amounts of inorganic lead during toddler years may produce lasting adverse effects upon brain function (Goldstein 1990).” Lead poisoning awareness has become increasingly prevalent in the American government, with lead poisoning testing recommended as early as nine to twelve months of age (Health and Human Services 2011). This paper will explain briefly lead’s history and industrial uses, as well as give an in-depth analysis on lead’s exposure to children and how it affects their developing brains.

The effects of prolonged exposure to lead will result in lead poisoning. It causes behavior problems, hearing problems, kidney damage, and slowed body growth (Heller).

Lead is usually found in the form of minerals where it combines with other elements such as sulphur (PbS), (PbSO4) and oxygen (PbCO3) (Wuana & Okieimen, 2011). The major sources of lead are from coal burning, pesticides, and waste incineration. Lead accumulation in the body may affect the gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system, kidneys, and even death (Marfo, 2014). Lead also causes impaired development and mental retardation in children. Lead poisoning frequently affects children between one and three years old in the United States and rarely affects adults. According to NORD (2006), statistics showed that in the last 20 years, the number of children with harmful blood lead levels in the United States has fallen 85%. The permissible

The factors that should be included to determine the magnitude of risk to human health from lead within a population would be to consider the effect of lead dose exposer within children and adults and the exposer of lead to a population living in low socioeconomic areas. Lead is exposed through food (canned), water, air, soil, dust, petrol, paint etc. High exposer of lead could damage almost all organ systems which include; Central Nervous System, anaemia, kidney damage and could lead to death. Low levels of lead exposer could indicate health problems such as decreased haemoglobin, vitamin D, central nervous system and growth (Tong, Schirnding & Prapamontol, 2000). Research shows that high blood lead levels is associated with environmental

Children with developing bodies are especially vulnerable because their rapidly developing nervous systems are particularly sensitive to the effects of lead. Blood lead levela exceeding 60 ug/dl causes brain swelling and hemorrhaging. Almost all children in the United States have been exposed to lead one point in their lives. Common sources included lead paint and lead contained water

You definitely deal with lead poisoning if you have the following symptoms: abdominal pain, constipation, joint pains, muscle pain, high blood pressure, headaches, memory loss, mood disorders, reduced sperm count, abnormal sperm, declines in mental functioning, and numbness or tingling of the extremeties. Furthermore, if you are pregnant and deal with miscarriage or premature birt, this could be because of the lead. It is essential to recognize the symptoms of lead poisoning, so that vyou can follow the right treatment in order to stay healthy.

There are many different types of elements that affect people in many different ways. Lead is one of them. Lead is a naturally occurring metal that can be dangerous to humans but thankfully there are ways to protect yourself from lead. People can be exposed to Pb or lead in a variety of ways. Once it is taken in, it has some nasty effects. There are also ways to protect people from lead.

Now, what are the causes of lead poisoning? As stated before, the ingestion and inhalation of items that contain leads are the causes of lead of poisoning. Lead is often found in ceramic toys, food, and water. When put in the mouth, it will store in teeth and bones, which will cause adverse effects throughout the child’s body. Lead can be inhaled in various ways. For example, it most often occur when there is a renovation or remodeling of homes. Also, the occupation of the client can indicate another source of lead entering the body. If the client is a construction worker, painter, jewelry maker, radiator repair worker, and mining, they have a higher risk of inhaling lead. Once large amount of lead has been inhaled or ingested, there will be substantial changes in the child’s cognitive behavior, psychomotor, and attitude. First, for the cognitive behavior, some notable characteristics are developmental delays, lowered IQ levels, reading skill deficits, visual-spatial problems, visual-motor problems, learning disabilities, and lower academic success. Second, to demonstrate that the child’s psychomotor skills has been compromised due to lead poisoning, the parent will state to their health care

Despite the documented reduction in the general population’s exposure to lead , research continues to demonstrate significant increases in risk of adverse outcomes in both children {Wigle, 2005 #96;Lanphear, 2005 #18} and adults {Guallar, 2006 #32;Lustberg, 2002 #59;Navas-Acien, 2004 #60} at low blood lead levels. In addition, millions of people carry elevated body burdens of lead, from past exposures, that may induce present and future health effects {Nash, 2003 #99;Nash, 2004 #100}. Given continued uses of lead by human societies (primarily for batteries and lead smelters ), the persistence of past uses (such as house paint, automotive fuels, and plumbing), further understanding of the negative health impact of lead remains a public

“Lead was used in many consumer products until it was phased out in the early 1980’s. Lead can be found in the soil, soot, tap water, herbal medicines from other countries and lead- based paint” (CDC, 2010. Paint in homes built before 1980 became a hazard when it peels and chips. The route of exposure is through inhalation and oral ingestion. Babies are more vulnerable because of their size, make up and behavior” (Davis, 2007). These babies are not responsible for their actions which makes the care givers not only responsible for their own safety but that of their children. “Statistics have shown that although people can be exposed to lead in the USA, most of the infants diagnosed with lead are from foreign born parents. In 2009, 47% of the pregnant women identified with blood lead levels (BLL) > 15ug/ dl, were born in Mexico” (Farley, 2010). “When mothers are exposed to lead, it passes through the placenta and affects the fetus. The current CDC target blood lead level for children under six years of age is 10ug/dl” (CDC, 2010). Even to small levels of BLL can cause health and developmental issues. Along with

Lead exposure less than one hundred years ago had several exposure-sources to humans through many daily appliances, tools, homes, and substances. Gasoline, paint, water, and pottery were main environmental exposures of lead before the late 1970’s when the U.S. banned the use of lead in most of these sources. A number of developing countries still permit the use of lead on house appliances and pottery. Lead is associated in causing central nervous system effects, as well as other debilitating effects even when consumed with low levels. One of the most common environmental pediatric health problems in the U.S. is lead poisoning. In the 1980’s, approximately 4 million children exposed to lead had blood lead levels high enough to cause adverse

Lead is extremely dangerous to humans, especially in children because their entire bodies are still in the developmental stages of life and has less body mass than adults. Consequently, the brain and nervous systems of children tend to readily absorb lead. Unfortunately, Lead in the children's blood streams tends to manifest as Lower IQ and hyperactivity, behavior and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing Problems and anemia. In some cases, seizures, coma, and even death may occur (“Learn about Lead,” 2015).

Lead poisoning is a serious and sometimes fatal condition. The poisoning is found in paints, toys, contaminated dust, and gasoline products. Children are the most vulnerable to lead poisoning because most of them use toy trucks or dolls which have paint and they are getting poisoned when they put them in their mouths a lot like most kids and toddlers do. Adults can also be poisoned but not as severe as children. Adults can get poisoned by lead and have muscle and joint pain, nerve disorders, digestive issues, and high blood pressure. That is not as severe as a child decreased in intelligence speech and language impairment, decreased bone growth, and kidney

* Lead. Lead is hazardous to health as it accumulates in the body and affects the central nervous system. Children and pregnant women are most at risk.