According to the U.S. National Safety Council (NSC), children under the age of 6 are at the greatest risk of lead poisoning. Most significant, perhaps, is that it is difficult for parents to identify that their children are suffering from lead poisoning. The symptoms are often subtle, and differ according to age.
Though lead occurs naturally in the soil, it can be toxic to humans, particularly in high concentrations. Those higher concentrations are most typically associated with industrial products made with refined lead. For instance, prior to 1978, house paint commonly contained lead; until recently, so did gasoline. Lead poisonings are all too common, and frequently involve children, who ingest chips of lead paint commonly found in older homes, or who simply breathe the dust of deteriorating, lead-based paint.
According to the U.S. National Safety Council (NSC), children under the age of 6 are at the greatest risk of lead poisoning. Most significant, perhaps, is that it is difficult for parents to identify that their children are suffering from lead poisoning. The symptoms are often subtle, and differ according to age. Experts at the Mayo Clinic list these possible symptoms in children as being possible indicators of lead poisoning:
Among adults, the following symptoms can indicate a problem:
To protect your family from home-based lead hazards, the NSC offers the following safety tips:
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