Background:Lead is a toxic substance that can be found in many places. It is important to know what could contain lead so that children will not get lead poisoning.Safety at home website says that lead poisoning in children remains a big environmental concern in the U.S. According to the EPA, children can be exposed to lead before they are born. Also, children that may seem very healthy can have high levels of lead in their bodies. It is important that people are aware of the health effects of lead, where lead is found and how to prevent lead poisoning. Most people think only of the paint in homes as containing lead, but this is not the case. There have been many other products that contained lead based paint out in stores. The CDC says that lead-based paint and lead contaminated dust are the main sources of lead exposure for U.S. children. Instructions:
Find three recalled item (preferably in the past year).
Tell me the name of the product and how long it was out before it was recalled.
Then go to the EPA website page on lead, click on the "What you can do to protect your family" link and list three ways you can prevent lead poisoning in your home.
Watch the short video below on lead Poisoning and give a short reflection on what you have learned or what surprised you overall from this whole activity.
I hope this activity is not too tedious! Good luck!
December 6, 2010 Sen. Barb Goodwin U.S. Senate 650 Sullivan LN NE Columbia Heights, MN 55421
VOTE YES ON S.RES.650.ATS: National Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week
The proposed national prevention week will help educate the public on lead poisoning in children and teach people about prevention. By designating one week to prevention of lead poisoning, this bill ensures that the public will be aware of this issue and take action against it. As a current Health Education student from Minnesota, I believe that there should be a week each year designated to childhood lead poisoning. This will keep the public aware of the issue so that steps can be taken to eliminate blood poisoning levels in children.
The prevention week will help educate the public on the dangers of lead poisoning in children. According to the CDC, lead poisoning affects nearly every system in the body. There are often no symptoms for blood poisoning, thus it can go unnoticed. Children under the age of 6 are at the most risk because they put their hands and objects in their mouths more. Also, children at and below the poverty line are also at more of a risk. It would be ideal to completely eliminate blood poisoning as a health issue, but until that comes about a program for prevention once a year is needed to help increase awareness.
Opponents might say that levels have decreased significantly in the past and that there is no more need for blood lead prevention. However, there are still cases of childhood lead poisoning. There have also been many toys and other objects recalled because of lead. Although companies in the U.S. may not used lead based paint, toys and other objects imported from other countries may contain lead based paint. The problem is still there and must continue to be addressed until it is eliminated.
We appreciate the past support of the bill and hope it continues to get passed each year. As a health education student, I hope you realize the importance of educating the public on blood poisoning in children. Vote yes to S.RES.650.ATS: National Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week.
Alyssa
Fact Sheet
How do children get lead poisoning? Older homes can contain lead-based paint. Painted toys may contain lead as well as some drinking containers. Children who put toys, containers are suck on the windowsill in an older house may get exposed to lead. If they eat paint chips or soil containing lead they may also get exposed.
What are the symptoms of lead poisoning? Sometimes there are no symptoms. When there are symptoms, they are like other illnesses. Loss of appetite, tiredness, irritability, weight loss, and reduced attention span.
What are the affects of lead poisoning? If not detected early, children with high blood levels may have damage to their brain or nervous system, slowed growth, hyperactivity, behavior problems, headaches, and learning problems.
How can you prevent lead poisoning?
Learn about where lead is found
Keep the home dust-free
Wash children's toys frequently
If you have an older home get it tested for lead
Make sure there is no cracked or chipping paint
Have your kids wash their hands after playing outdoors
More information: For more information you can go to the CDC website or EPA's website.
Introduction: The issue is elevated lead blood levels in children. The bill S.RES.650.ATS Designating the week of October 24 through October 30, 2010 as "National Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week"has addressed this issue by making one week a national lead poisoning awareness week.
Who is affected by the issue? Children who are exposed to lead through the environment in which they live and parents who don't want to harm their child. Nobody gains from this issue. Children lose this issue because their health is affected by how much they have been exposed to lead.
What are the consequences of the issue? Individuals are affected and can suffer from damage to the brain or nervous system,learning problems, and headaches. Families of those affected will have to deal with the heath issues that it brings to their children.
What is the economic impact of the issue? IQ scores are lower for those exposed to lead, this is valued in forgone earnings. Lower IQ scores affect earnings and therefore the economy loses money. Not eliminating lead exposure has a big cost to foregone earnings.
What is the social impact of the issue? Those living in older homes might still have lead based paint. Also, immigrant children may be at an increased risk.
What are the barriers? Education, foreign made toys and money.
What are the resources? Education on lead poisoning. Will need companies who buy imported products on our side.
What is the history of this issue? The number of children with lead poisoning has decreased 4.7 million since 1978. Lead based paint has also been reduced which decreased the number of homes with it from 64 mil in 1990 to 38 mil in 2000. Many imported products have also been recalled.
Allies and Opponents: Parents of children would support this issue. Those who would oppose the issue would be companies that still use lead as a base. To involve both in advocacy efforts I would point out that if children are getting sick from their products then people are going to stop buying them.
Your Recommendation: I want policy makers to vote yes on this issue.
The Environmental issue that I chose from Healthy People 2010 are Toxics and Waste.
Objectives:Eliminating Elevated lead blood levels in children
The Progress Quotient chart shows that over half the targeted change is achieved with it continuing to move in that direction.
Progress towards Healthy People:The targets for reducing exposure of populations to lead were reduced.
Opportunities and Challenges: Eliminating lead blood levels is a challenging environmental issue. There needs to be no use of leads in children's toys, eating utensils and medicines. Some challenges for elimination are that some state budgets have been reduced which affects performing medical and environmental case management. Environmental health agencies can educate physicians on and about child lead poisoning and prevention.
Emerging Issues: Health issues with toxic substances are not always resolved after initial intervention. Some people may have ongoing issues that need to be addressed by case management.
Bill: S.RES.650.ATS Designating the week of October 24 through October 30, 2010 as "National Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week." (Agreed to Senate) Title: Same as above. Sponsor: Sen Reed,Jack(RI)(introduced 09/27/2010) and Co-sponsored by Sen. Collins, Sen. Cardin, Sen. Whitehouse,Sen. Dodd,Sen.Menendez, Sen. Boxer and Sen. Johanns. Latest Major Action: 9/27/2010 passed/agreed to in Senate. Status: Submitted in Senate, considered and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble in unanimous consent.
Recommendation: Vote yes for expanding S.RES.650 "National Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Weeek" Act for the next ten years.
County Board President (Ramsey County):Tony Bennett Ramsey County Board Office Room 220 Court House 15 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul, MN 55102 651-266-8362
City Mayor (New Brighton):Dave Jacobsen 2539 Robin Lane New Brighton, MN 55112 651-775-1837
My name is Alyssa and I am a Junior majoring in Health Education (Community). I love spending time outdoors; especially hiking in the woods surrounded by trees. The picture on the left is from a hike I took this summer. I hope you enjoy the environment too because this blog is going to be all about Environmental Health.
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