Safe Alternatives for Baby and Child

LEAD IS A FACT OF LIFE.  And you need a plan to deal with it.  Thanks to Joanna Cerazy and Sandra Cottingham, authors of Lead Babies, our exclusive interview below will give parents more insight on the dangers of lead exposure for our children, and what we can do to reduce exposure.

Lead plays a causal role in a broad spectrum of cognitive and neuromuscular disorders ranging from mild irritability to autism to severe mental disabilities. Lead can adversely affect nearly every organ in the body. In children, exposure to lead causes irreversible brain damage which in turn results in learning disabilities, ADHD, behavior problems, lowered IQ, as well as delays in speech and language development. Exposure to lead is also known to cause damage to the kidneys and central nervous system. It is responsible for anemia, hearing damage and problems with digestion. Children exposed to lead often experience inhibited bone and muscle growth. Adults who are exposed to excessive amounts of lead are prone to developing high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases, damage to their reproductive systems as well as cataracts and muscle and joint pain. Lead is a cause for extreme concern for pregnant women as it has been proven to cause miscarriage, stillbirth and preterm delivery.

Learn much more in our continued interview below.

House paint, gasoline, canned food, and tap water: a generation ago, these lead sources changed the world we live in and upped the ante in the gamble that goes with having healthy, thriving children.  For those of us that thought lead disappeared with the introduction of unleaded gas – think again!  The lead industry continues to be alive and well with a flourishing demand and steady production. Lead does not dissolve, evaporate or break down. It continually re-circulates in our environment and ends up stored in our bones – in woman, eventually transfers to an unborn children in-utero.

Wow, we had tons more questions.  Here is our Q&A with the respected authors of LEAD BABIES…..

How many children are effected by excessive lead exposure?

There are no exact numbers on lead levels in children since it does not stay in the blood for long, and lead deposited in bone and tissue is difficult to assess. However, in the United States, each year, approximately 250,000 children between the ages of one and five are tested as having blood lead levels higher than 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood. The amount of lead that is deemed a safe level has dropped repeatedly over the years as science confirms that the only safe reading of lead is zero.

“Lead is transferred directly from mother to unborn baby at exactly the time that the central nervous system is rapidly developing.”

The Dangers Of Lead Exposure To Our Kids

What’s more concerning for children: lead exposure through food or toys (or other things?)

Children are at high risk of being exposed to lead’s harm because they tend to put their hands and objects in their mouths.  Their small, rapidly developing bodies absorb lead more readily than those of adults. Nowadays, the source of much lead poisoning in children is dust, contaminated by deteriorating paint surfaces and airborne lead particles circulating in the environment. Tap water is another very common source. While toys can be significant source of lead for children, the list of common household products at risk for containing lead is especially concerning.

“The most prominent symptoms of lead poisoning include drowsiness, irritability, poor muscle coordination, fussiness, loss of appetite, upset stomach, constipation, anemia, reduced attention span, and inability to sleep.”

What are the 3 main sources of lead exposure?

The leading sources of lead exposure are water, dust and soil, and household objects. The important thing to remember is that lead exposure is cumulative. Lead in trace amounts consumed or inhaled daily becomes a dangerous body burden very quickly.

What items should I always keep away from young kids, due to high lead content?

Avoid children’s access to peeling paint or chewable surfaces painted with lead-based paint.  Lead is found in many folk remedies, candies, toys, crystals, ceramics, pottery, garden hoses, curtain weights, imported crayons and sidewalk chalk, electronics, candlewicks, baby bibs, Christmas lights– the list goes on. Vigilance is critical not only for babies and children, but also mothers-to-be. Lead is transferred directly from mother to unborn baby at exactly the time that the central nervous system is rapidly developing.

The Symptoms of Lead Exposure

What are the symptoms?

Often, lead poisoning has no obvious symptoms and goes unrecognized. To complicate things further, the symptoms of lead poisoning can be identical with signs of many other conditions. The most prominent symptoms of lead poisoning include drowsiness, irritability, poor muscle coordination, fussiness, loss of appetite, upset stomach, constipation, anemia, reduced attention span, and inability to sleep. Exposure to high levels of lead causes seizures, comas and death.

“Home gardens can be a special problem for food contamination from lead and in all circumstances, soil samples should be collected and taken to a testing facility before considering growing food.”

Lead Detox

How can we get lead out of our children’s bodies?

There are many approaches to the removal of lead that has accumulated in children’s bodies over time. Each child’s state of health, age, metabolism, biology and toxic load must be taken into account when deciding which approach to apply.  There is a number of alternative and medical lead removal methods. Natural options include far infrared saunas and clay footbaths, as well as herbal preparations that contain cilantro, chlorella, garlic, and milk thistle. Medical methods used to decrease the lead body burden involve some form of chelation, a process in which a chelating agent binds with lead that resides in soft tissues, thus helping with excretion.
All chelation should be under the supervision of a medical profession.

Testing A Child For Lead Poisoning

When do you suggest I should have my child tested for lead exposure?

The guidelines for testing vary depending where you live, so people should check with their local health department. The general guidelines are that children who live in or regularly visit a dwelling built before 1978, who have  playmates or siblings who have lead poisoning, or who have parents who work with lead should be checked. Blood tests reveal if there is ongoing exposure to lead, while more comprehensive testing using chelation and urine sampling will give better information about how much lead has accumulated over time.

Can any pediatrician do the lead test?

Yes. To determine current, ongoing lead exposure levels, a standard laboratory blood test can be ordered by a family physician or pediatrician. Similarly, a doctor must administer lead testing that involves a chelating agent and urine testing.

“Lead has been found in a wide range of chocolate products including milk chocolate, syrup, toppings, fudge puddings, and chocolate drinks, with dark chocolate products having the highest levels.”

Toys and Lead-Free Claims

Since there is no guaranteed ‘lead-free’ label on toys, how can I make sure it does not contain lead?

Actually, due to the growing awareness of the harm lead causes and the frequency of recalled  products, lead-free labels are becoming increasingly common. Finding lead-free products is becoming less challenging, with the internet helpful for both research and shopping.  A good place to start is the Lead Free Store. Readers of Lead Babies report that their heightened understanding about lead’s uses and properties make them savvy consumers. For items that you already own, keep a home lead check kit on hand and follow the directions carefully.

What are the current laws on lead in toys?  Does ‘lead-free’ claims really guarantee lead-free?

Starting on February 10, 2009, consumer products intended for children 12 and under cannot have more than 600 parts per million of lead in any accessible part. This means that toys deemed to be safe for kids are allowed to contain some lead, but only when the lead is shown to not leach under any lead under testing conditions. As a rule of thumb, when buying toys avoid vinyl and painted surfaces. Choose natural toys that are made from cardboard, paper, glass, wood, metal, or cloth.

How Lead Getting Into The Foods We Eat

We heard about high lead contamination in soil due to lead-based paint chips flaking from homes and factory pollution. Is this a concern if I start my own veggie garden? Can veggies absorb lead?

The problem of lead in soil is very real. Lead has accumulated over the years from pre- 1978 paint and past leaded-fuel pollution. Home gardens can be a special problem for food contamination from lead and in all circumstances, soil samples should be collected and taken to a testing facility before considering growing food. Uptake of lead varies depending on the kind of produce. Compared to root vegetables (carrots, beets, radishes), fruiting vegetables such as berries and tomatoes are less likely to contain lead as it tends to accumulate more readily in roots. Leafy vegetables (spinach, lettuce, parsley) may be contaminated with lead that has been deposited from the air.

“Last year, the FDA tested 324 vitamins and only four were shown not to contain lead.”

We’ve heard that free-range hens and their eggs were likely to have higher concentrations of lead because of the soil. Can lead get into the chicken/eggs?

Eggs of chickens grown in areas with high levels of lead in soil have been shown to contain increased levels of lead.  If you are raising your own chickens, the only way to know for sure if the eggs are safe is to have them professionally tested.

We heard about high lead content in processed chocolate. How can parents make sure the chocolate they purchase is lead free?

Lead in chocolate has been traced back to sloppy manufacturing practices, the leaded gasoline still used in farm equipment, and fertilizers. Whatever the source of contamination, consuming lead-containing chocolate is harmful, especially to young children and expectant mothers. It has been found in a wide range of chocolate products including milk chocolate, syrup, toppings, fudge puddings, and chocolate drinks, with dark chocolate products having the highest levels. Even the label “organic” does not mean lead-free as was evident when 40,000 pounds of one brand organic chocolate products were recalled. Of course, the amounts of lead vary from product to product and can also vary from batch to batch. Finding chocolate products that are tested and certified 100% lead-free takes research, but there are companies committed to such standards.

How much should parents be concerned about lead in vitamins?

Lead in vitamins is of particular concern due to the fact that vitamins are taken daily, potentially resulting in a steady, regular dosage of lead. Unfortunately, vitamins and calcium supplements have been shown to frequently contain lead. Last year, the FDA tested 324 vitamins and only four were shown not to contain lead. Surprisingly, the FDA does not consider these multivitamins unsafe as they are within “allowable limits”. Parents should indeed be concerned, and, as with toys and chocolate, they need to do their research.

Prenatal Exposure To Lead

What other concerns does your book touch base on?

The media focus on lead exposure for pregnant woman and small children risks the impression that men and older children are far less impacted. Our book corrects this impression, showing the dramatic effect of lead on IQ regardless of age, as well as lead’s very severe impact on fertility of both men and women.

Another important concern we highlight is the synergistic relationship between lead and another deadly neurotoxin – mercury. The surprising household prevalence of mercury becomes a sobering reality when one understands that the presence of lead makes it 100 times as toxic. Lead and mercury exposure together result in autism.

Anything else you think parents should be aware of?

We want parents to be aware that heavy metal exposure can easily be avoided without a lifestyle change or huge expense. The goal of our book is to empower parents to take a few simple steps to keep themselves and their children protected from unnecessary exposure.  We show parents how.

For parents of children with learning and behavior challenges, as well as autism, an understanding of cause is a critical first step in effective management. Along with the modern day epidemic of infertility and autoimmune disease that lead has created, the cycle of learning disabilities, ADHD, declining IQ, behavior problems and autism that is also lead’s legacy can be broken.

LEAD BABIES, The Book

Autism, ADHD, behavior disorders, lowered IQ and learning disabilities are an epidemic in North America and throughout the world. We have known of the serious health problems caused by lead for years, but in utero lead transfer from mother to baby is critical new information that will impact every demographic in every country of the world. At the time when the developing baby is most vulnerable to toxic materials, lead from a multitude of apparently harmless sources passes from the mother to the brain and other organs of her unborn child.

The exterior paint on houses, the water in the taps, the toys in the playroom, the food in the refrigerator, the furnishings in the home: all of these can be sources of toxic lead that can harm unborn babies and adults alike.

Lead Babies, by Joanna Cerazy and Sandra Cottingham, gives detailed information to help readers leadproof their homes and protect their children from the beginning of pregnancy through rearing.

Lead Babies: How heavy metals are causing our children’s autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, low IQ and behavior problems is available on Amazon for 24.95 and most other on-line book stores, or ask your local bookstore to order a copy for you if it is not on the shelf.

About the Authors of Lead Babies

The book’s authors have a long history as teaching colleagues and research partners. They have collaborated on several projects within the field of special education. Lead Babies is their first collaborative book.

Joanna Cerazy has a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership with research in special education. She has an extensive background in European and world literature. She has taught both regular and special education in primary, elementary and secondary school contexts. She currently works as a special education consultant.Joanna Cerazy has led and actively participated in several major educational research projects. Recent research includes the skills and knowledge for inclusive education, teacher preparation and special educational policy.

Sandra Cottingham, M.Sc., Ph.D. has twenty years of classroom experience with regular students and with students with special needs. As a consultant in a large British Columbia school district, Dr. Cottingham works daily with teachers and administrators supporting children with significant cognitive and behavior challenges. Dr. Cottingham’s understanding of the issues in special education, her research, and her written work have been recognized by the B.C. Minister of Education. She has been an instructor in the Department of Counseling Psychology and Special Education at the University of British Columbia and a guest presenter for Simon Fraser University. Dr. Cottingham’s doctoral dissertation entitled, Implementing the Mandate of Inclusion, A Model for Moving from Concept to Action was recently published by Tilburg University, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, in the Netherlands. Recently, she was named as an Associate of the Taos Institute of New Mexico, USA.

Visit them @  www.nomoreleadbabies.com and  www.enoughlead.com

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