Importance Of Genotoxicity ( Or Genotoxic Toxicity )

Similarly, in the article, The Need for Vigilance: the Persistence of Lead Poisoning in Children published in Pediatrics, a peer-review journal, the authors write the article with the intent of reiterating the need for medical professionals to remain vigilant with the accurate treatment of lead poisoning. The article in Pediatrics is written by doctors for clinical professionals and is based upon a report of "a case of lead poisoning associated with ingestion of a toy necklace in a 4-year-old child" (Florin, T., Brent, R., &

At the age of just a year old, Reginald Cureton, a Detroit middle schooler, was just a year old, a blood test proved he had four times the level of lead in his blood that was concluded as lead poisoning. His parents were baffled and doctors said it would alter his brain development and hinder his skills as a child. Reginald's elementary school suggested numerous times that he repeat the third grade. This lead his parents to do test him for any mental stagnancies and he was diagnosed with ADHD. Now in middle school, Reginald and his family's fight against lead- exposure is continued and as strong as ever as they are taking extra precautions to reduce his lead exposure in any way possible (Lead-Exposure Problems Spotlighted in Detroit) . Unfortunately

Lead poisoning in children was first discovered in 1890 in Queensland, Australia. The lead source was not identified until 1904, when a researcher traced it to the paint used on railings and verandahs. The first discovery of lead poisoning in the United States (with a traceable source) was in 1914; the child had chewed the paint off of his crib. At this time they linked lead poisoning as a cause of convulsions in children. As research progressed and more children were found with high lead levels, symptoms caused by lead were expanded to include lead meningitis, acute encephalopathy, intellectual dullness, reduced consciousness, seizures, comas, and death (Chisholm, 1982).

* This website gives information on everything needed to know about lead and how to prevent poisoning.

As a result of this, the percentage of children with high levels of lead in their blood doubled after the switch. Lead does irreversible damage to children’s

poisoning. Lead is an element on the periodic table and was widely used in paint. Artists

There are several cellular injury mechanisms that result in a variety of different diseases. One general mechanism of cellular injury is through chemical injury. There are about 4 billion pounds of toxic chemicals released per year in the United States, and of these, 72 million pounds are known carcinogens (Huether).

A comparison of the concentrations of lead in the tissues of both male and female adults over the age of 16 years is depicted in Table 1. The average concentrations of lead in the different bones investigated surpassed average individual soft tissue concentrations in both sexes by a substantial margin. Median bone lead concentrations differed between 8-85 ppm in rib to 33'71 ppm in the petrous temporal bone in male subjects, in comparison with 6-77 ppm and 26-63 ppm respectively in females. These values symbolize a ratio of average concentrations of lead in the bones of male adults compared with female adults of relatively 1:3:1. They correspond very closely with the median values reported by Kehoe in 1961 and 1963 and corroborate the difference between long and flat bones noted by Tompsett in 1936 (Barry 1975).

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.

In 2000, WHO assessed the global burden of disease due to a number of risk factors associated with lead. (3)

Lead can cause a harmful effect to humans when ingested or inhaled, especially to children under the age of six. Lead poisoning can cause a number of adverse effects to human’s health, but is particularly harmful to the neurological development of children. Everyone in his live is exposed to widespread distributed lead. People can be exposed to lead by many routes which include: drinking lead contaminated water, dust, paint chips, or soil; eating food that contaminated with lead from either soil or water; inhaling of lead containing particles in air.

There are more than 4 million houses that have children that are being exposed to high levels of lead. Amongst these the number of children between ages 1-5 have blood lead levels > 5 micrograms per deciliter and are around half a million. It has been found out there no blood lead level that is safe in children and can be harmful to the body. This poisoning is a very serious problem but it is still curable. Children can suffer from neurological damage because of which they can have low IQ level and behavioral problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recommended for public health actions to be taken on this matter.4

Throughout the course of human history, man has used lead for many different reasons. It was used extensively by both the Greeks and Romans. The Greeks used lead to extract silver for coinage and as rebar in its marble columns for extra support and strength. Similarly, the Romans also used lead to extract precious metals from various ores, roofs for structures and joints for columns, and lastly, as a flavoring additive to provide sweetness. However, this extensive use of lead resulted in many falling ill due to lead poisoning as both the Greeks and Romans consumed lead in their drinking water and, as some historians argue, there downfall. Despite the known health effects of lead exposure mankind continued to use lead as a pigment in paint

There is no dispute the effects that lead has on people, especially children and pregnant women. It is a cumulative toxin and the effects can be found in multiple body systems, such as the brain, liver, kidneys, and bones. In young children, large doses can lead to coma or death, and, more commonly, smaller amounts will cause learning disabilities and lowered IQ, along with other ailments such as hypertension and immunotoxicity (World Health Organization). Because of these devastating health effects, lead is no longer allowed to be used in paint, which was very common in homes and toys until the late 70’s (EPA). Lead is a natural occurring element found in the Earth’s crust, but has become a major environmental contaminant because of its widespread

A proper diet and a well-nourished body are essential for healthy living. When lead poisoning is part of the picture, nutrition becomes even more crucial to living a healthy life; this is especially important for children to remember. In an article posted by the Health and Human Services in Massachusetts (2017), it wrote, “Even low levels of lead in a child's body can cause learning and behavioral problems. Very high levels can cause retardation, convulsions, and coma.” In other words, it is important for people, especially children, to stay healthy when exposed to lead.