As residents in several areas throughout the Chicago area deal with potential mercury contamination, environmental experts say all homeowners and renters should remain aware of another large, pervasive and serious public health threat–lead poisoning. Those with young children should be particularly concerned.
Most homes built before 1950 have paint that contains lead. When it chips, turns to dust or leaks into the soil, it becomes a problem. Renovations can send it swirling through the air. Children can swallow the chips or unknowingly ingest the dust by putting dirty hands in their mouths or by inhaling it.
“Childhood lead poisoning continues to be a significant problem in the city of Chicago,” said Anne Evens, an epidemiologist with the Chicago Department of Public Health. “People aren’t aware of the prevalence of the statistics. It’s also a matter of cost.”
Of 100,000 Chicago children tested in 1999, more than 17,000 had blood-lead levels greater than what is identified as a level for concern–10 micrograms per deciliter–according to city health department data. But there are 300,000 children in the city, meaning that many are not being tested or identified as suffering from lead exposure.
Once in the body, lead can cause damage to children’s brains and nervous systems, as their growing bodies absorb more lead than do those of adults. Other effects include behavior and learning problems, hyperactivity, slowed growth, hearing problems and headaches. Damage can be done before anyone becomes aware of the problem. In fact, children who appear healthy can have dangerous levels of lead in their bodies, highlighting the insidious nature of the problem.
Evens said 1990 Census data show that 60 percent of Chicago’s houses are pre-1950 and that “every community area in Chicago has more than 30 percent of housing that’s pre-1950.” In addition, 28 percent of the houses built before 1978 are known to be in substandard condition, leading to a greater likelihood of lead hazards.
Phil King, director of the Region 5 lead poisoning program for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has additional statistics that confirm the persistence of the lead problem in the Chicago area.
All children within the city limits are considered to be in a “high-risk” area, King said, because of the older housing stock. New figures for 1999 from the Illinois Department of Public Health show the number of children with high blood-lead levels is declining somewhat but remains troublesome.
In 1999, for the Chicago area only, King said nearly 106,000 blood-lead level tests were reported to the state agency. Of those, almost 12,000 children had levels measuring between 10 and 14 micrograms/deciliter, compared with about 14,000 in 1998. About 3,700 children measured between the levels of 15 and 19; 1,500 children between 20 and 24; 1,400 children between 25 and 44; and 180 children at 45 or higher. Those compared with about 4,750 measuring between 15 and 19 mcg/dl in 1998; 2,000 between 20 and 24; 1,700 between 25 and 44 and 250 at 45 or higher.
“Those numbers are coming down but they’re still unacceptably high,” King said.
Children’s blood-lead levels tend to rise rapidly from 6 to 12 months of age and peak at 18 to 24 months, leading to the recommendation that all children be screened at ages 1 and 2. Tests should be given earlier if a problem is suspected or if family members are found to have elevated lead levels, experts advise.
Allison Neumeister, a suburban mother of three boys, knows well the hazards of an old house. A routine blood-lead level test for her twins came back with startling results when they were 2 years old. For Eric, the level was 2 micrograms/deciliter, an acceptable level. But for his twin, Christian, the level was 13. “It was enough to alarm me,” she said.
At the time, the Neumeisters lived in an old house in Oak Park but did not know exactly where the problem was originating. Allison suspected but never confirmed that sandblasting of exterior paint by a previous owner had caused lead to leach into the surrounding soil and its dust to land on windowsills.
Christian was always putting his hands into his mouth, she said, explaining why one twin had a lead problem and the other did not. Neumeister took some precautions, including buying a special vacuum and cleaning the areas she thought were the problem. Eventually, Christian’s lead levels declined to around 2 micrograms/deciliter.
According to Dr. Icy Cade-Bell, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine, the Neumeisters’ situation is typical of lead cases.
“The absolute most common place has to be the paint on the walls,” she said. “You also have to talk about the soil. At this clinic, we’ve treated a lot of lead cases on an outpatient basis. For young children and particularly for minority children, it’s still a concern.”
The EPA notes that lead-based paint that is in good condition is usually not a hazard. But when it starts peeling, chipping or cracking, it needs immediate attention.
Other areas that may be hazardous include doors and door frames, stairs, railings and banisters, along with porches and fences, according to the EPA.
Cade-Bell said children seen at her clinic usually have no symptoms but are diagnosed through the blood tests required by any government-funded preschool and public kindergartens. Those with levels in the range of 10 to 25 micrograms/deciliter are not usually treated, she said. Even children with levels in the 30s, 40s and 50s often show no symptoms but may be given one of four different medicines available to flush out the lead. At very high levels, hospitalization and intravenous treatment are required.
The city government will come to a home and inspect it if a child’s blood-lead level comes back higher than 20, said Cade-Bell. Additionally, the EPA recommends qualified professionals check a home. There are two different ways to do that.
One is a paint inspection. That tells the homeowner the lead content of every different type of painted surface in the house but does not tell you what to do about it. The second is a risk assessment, which reveals any sources of serious lead exposure and outlines what actions need to be taken to address the hazards.
The methods vary. They include visual inspection of paint condition and location or use of a portable X-ray fluorescence machine. Lab tests may also be done on paint samples and surface dust kits used.
Home kits are available at home centers, but the EPA says studies suggest they are not always accurate. “Consumers should not rely on these tests before doing renovations or assuring safety,” it said.
If you suspect lead hazards, the EPA also recommends the following actions.
– If you rent, notify your landlord of peeling or chipping paint.
– Clean up paint chips immediately.
– Clean floors, window frames, windowsills and other surfaces weekly. Use a mop or sponge with warm water and a general all-purpose cleaner or cleaner made specifically for lead.
– Thoroughly rinse sponges and mop heads after cleaning.
– Wash children’s hands often, especially before they eat and before nap and bedtime.
– Keep play areas clean. Wash bottles, pacifiers, toys and stuffed animals regularly.
– Clean or remove shoes before entering your home to avoid tracking in lead from the soil.
– Make sure children eat nutritious, low-fat meals high in iron and calcium such as spinach and dairy products. Children with good diets absorb less lead.
Additional safety measures and information about lead hazards can be obtained by calling 800-424-LEAD or visiting the EPA’s Web site, www.epa.gov/lead. The City of Chicago’s Lead Poisoning Prevention Program can be reached at 312-746-7820.
