There have been frightening stories in the news about how thousands of children in Michigan have been exposed to toxic lead levels due to tainted public water supplies. Do New Yorkers face similar risks? What are the symptoms of lead poisoning, and how can I reduce my own child’s risk of exposure to lead?
According to New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection, the water that comes from our upstate reservoir system is virtually lead-free, so a systemic problem like the one unfolding in Michigan is unlikely. However that doesn’t mean that New Yorkers should automatically consider the water that comes out of their home plumbing lead-free, or that lead poisoning from other sources isn’t a possibility. In 2014, the City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene identified more than 8,000 children who had blood lead levels high enough to indicate unsafe exposure to lead.
Lead poisoning is a particular concern for children, because their bodies absorb almost five times more ingested lead than those of adults. Depending on the extent of the exposure, the symptoms of lead poisoning may range from irritability, fatigue, inability to concentrate, and nausea to seizures, developmental delays, and even death in the most severe cases. Even small levels of lead that result in no immediate symptoms can have adverse effects on a child’s brain later in life.
There is some good news: lead poisoning is easy to prevent. Elevated levels of lead in the blood do not occur as the result of a disease that worsens over time — lead in the blood is accumulated through exposure. With the proper precautions you can minimize this.
To start, although New York City banned the use of lead-based paint in residential buildings more than half a century ago, many buildings constructed prior to the ban may still contain hazardous paint that has never been removed. This is why the health department recommends reporting any peeling paint to your landlord to ensure that it is repaired immediately. Keeping your child away from peeling paint and home repairs that disturb paint — both in your own home and in those of others — is important as well.
Do not take vitamin and herbal supplements that come from other countries, which may also contain lead. Imported clay pots and dishes may contain lead, too, and should not be used to cook, serve, or store food.
And though the water supply we get from our reservoirs is safe, lead can still creep into it in the final twists and turns if your home has old piping, fixtures, or solders. Signs of tainted water in your home include tap water that is unclear or has a strange odor, but water with unsafe lead levels often looks and tastes exactly like water that is lead-free. Running tap water on cold for two minutes before using it to drink, cook, or make formula can usually minimize the risk of lead poisoning from your plumbing. You can also contact 311 and the Department of Environmental Protection will send you a kit that allows you to get your water tested for free.
Be sure to frequently wash your hands, as well as pacifiers, bottles, toys, and any other items that your child may put in her mouth to minimize your risk of lead poisoning and to stave off a host of other health conditions. There are many things to worry about when raising a child, but with the proper precautions, lead poisoning need not be one of them.
