Symptoms of lead poisoning, UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre children under age 6 have unsafe letd lead can be found in paint, water, which include stomach aches, Co.) —Lead poisoning, a health levels of lead in their blood, PP« Adams says lead headaches. imtaWity, vomiting, hazard that can be traced back to according to the 1990 census. poisoning cases most often occur constipation, and fab&ie. often do the days of the Roman Empire, is Phyllis Adams, associate piofes- SdS hiboth te?hJotoS- in ™-dow, mult,ple 001 app ? r f un i l }..! ead lev f ls f "! s iiU very much a viable threat to sor of agricultural education and caUy ._ d develontair famil y housing and dunngrenova- very high. In addition, most of the adulisand especially children in extension, estimates about 56 mil- LSTtFS don projects. Indeed. Children’s symptoms can Ire easdy confused many homes across the United hon homes across the country Hospital in Boston rqrerted that with the flu whreh makes duigno- T’ save an -xtrert in Penn contain some leaded material— 40 percent of its lead poisoning sis difficult IS*! College approximately 3 million .on. A ,S?IS «« 4lSi.KS.ta iSIS Criences altogether. heal* nrnhlcjn« •• were the result of home renova- prooiems can anect adults, Adams S °ln Pennsylvania, 17 percent of “Alto*, n, «*■ TLiTiKwtt tafao 1960, *»!«*». Vegetable Consumption Study Unveiled . , ~ " hearing defects, and damage to the RIDGEWAY (Elk Co.) —As ®8 much less produce than they Most startling, two of the most vegetables compared to 2.68 actu- central nervous system. In adults, nutrition research continues to be {f® ve- health-conscious groups al servings.) lead can affect production of red show that consuming plenty of . commissioned by women and young adults are On the opposite end of the food blood cells and impair liver and fruits and vegetables may prevent ®e United Fresh Fruit and Vege- the worst offenders. On average, guide pyramid, consumers greatly kidney functions. Lead traces also cancerandensuregoodhealth.it table Association, wcammed menu women overstated their consump- underestimated the amount of fats, arc stored in the skeleton is not surprising that many people ”?. es ( ™ pt by 2,000 households. tion of fruits and vegetables by 40 oils and sweets consumed. People sometimes for decades—and can know to include more produce in While 96 percent agreed that pco- percent (4.78 reported servings/ reported they ate just two servings re-enter the bloodstream of a preg their diets. P le sh °“ ld incl ude more fruits and day compared to 2.89 actual serv- of these products a day (1.96 nant mother and harm the fetus. But according to a new study, vegetables in their diets, consumings) and young adults (ages servings/day), when in reality they Mothers who have been exposed Fruit and Vegetable Consump- ers overestimated the amount of 18-34) overestimated their actual consumed 3.80 servings/day— to lead also can pass the substance tion: Consumer Attitudes versus fonts and vegetables they really consumption by 43 percent (4.70 nearly twice as much as perceived, through breast milk. Behavior. Americans are consum- ate by an astounding 33 percent, reported servings of fruits and “Excess exposure to lead affects children of all socioeconomic backgrounds.” Adams says. *Tt is very important for all infants and their siblings under age 6 to be screened for die presence of lead in their system.” The biggest source of lead in most homes built before 1978 is lead-based paint Sale of the pro duct was banned in 1978, but Adams says all types of paint manufactured prior to the ban could contain lead. Particularly suspect are the, high-gloss products used on moldings, trim, bathrooms and kitchens. Fainted windows, which produce lead-laden dust from frequently being opened and closed, are often a prime sus pect in lead poisoning cases. Window sills, which are a tempting target for teething toddlers. * are also very high risk areas. Homeowners can protect themselves by cov ering the lead-based paint with a latex or oil based paint If the paint is bubbling or cracking, Adams recommends hiring professionals to remove it or carefully following professional lead-removal guidelines. Do-it-yourselfers should never try to sand, scrape or remove paint with chemicals or head guns unless the paint has been tested. “Sanding and scraping can produce lethal levels of dust that everyone in the household may breathe in,” Adams says. “Chemical removers and heat guns can also give off lead-laden fumes.” Lead Poisoning Still Lancaster Farming, Saturday, Novambar 4, 1995-017 Threat Lead also can be found in water pipes fastened together with lead-based solder. In very old homes, entire pipes may be made from lead. Adams recommends testing a home’s water sys tem. If the water has high levels of lead, she sug gests letting water run for several minutes before using it In addition, hot water leaches lead from pipes faster than cold water, a factor that may require the homeowner to update the plumbing. Lead also can be found in stained glass, ceram ic glazes on dishes and pottery from outside the United Slates, car and industrial emissions, jewelry, batteries, fishing sinkers and souvenirs. Because lead threats are rarely noticed until levels are veiy high, Adams recommends an aggressive prevention program. Children should be given a blood test for lead, which is just a simple finger prick, at 12 months and at 24 months. A balanced diet based on foods high in iron and calcium is also beneficial. “Children should wash their hands often,” Adams says. “Damp mop and dust your home often—-especially near windows and doors. Homeowners also can wash surfaces frequently with a solution of water and tri-sodium pho sphate or powdered dishwashing detergent” Homeowners can test for surface lead levels by removing a sample for laboratory testing. Pro fessionals also can use X-ray fluorescence, which does not disturb the paint surface. Do-it yourself kits are available, but these products will not indicate how much lead is present. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency offers a guide called “Reducing Lead Hazards When Remodeling Your Home.” Call (717) 783-8451 for a free copy. Information on lead abatement also is available free of charge from such agencies as the Consumer Products Safety Commission (404) 730-2870, the National Safe ty Council (800) 424-5323. and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (800) 743-5323.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers