Next week is Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. This is especially important for our area because the OD recently reported that, “The combination of poverty and aging homes in Oneida County means residents here are being exposed to lead at rates above state and national averages.” The article went on to report that Oneida county has the highest percentage of children with elevated levels of lead in New York State and that children who were tested as having elevated levels of lead in their blood have levels seven times higher than the national average. Lead has been proven to cause behavioral problems in children and children who are exposed to lead at an early age are more likely to perform poorly in school and are at higher risk of dropping out. As a result, lead has been linked to higher rates of poverty and low IQs in adults.
Children are the most susceptible to lead but adults can be harmed by it as well. High levels of lead can cause gastric problems, fatigue, muscle weakness, headaches, changes in sleep patterns and concentration problems. These symptoms can be deceptive, however, since a host of other illnesses (like depression) can manifest themselves in similar ways. The only way to truly know if you have lead poisoning is to get yourself tested. A family physician can arrange a lead test for you and your children. Another way to minimize your exposure to lead is by purchasing a water filter. Since lead can exist in old pipes it is wise to keep cold, filtered water in your refrigerator for drinking.
Like all of you, I am doing–and plan to do–my part to keep myself safe from lead. I just bought a water filter last month and I plan to get myself tested for lead as soon as possible. Lead poisoning is nothing to kid around with. Lead can make you dead.
Despite the facts you mentioned the scoundrels in Albany still denied Utica a $2 million grant that could have been used to combat the lead problem. Instead we have to settle for a “scaled back” version of the original project. It seems policians are quick to point out the lead problem in Utica but when it comes to turning talk into action like providing grants that could fix the problem it is a different story.
I guess they don’t want the grants to pay for new BMWs for Julian’s family.
I’ve seen the guys doing the work to fix up the lead-contaminated houses and I have to say they’re doing a pretty crappy job. The workers don’t wear masks and after a day’s work they usually leave the construction sites contaminated with lead dust. This dust is harmful because it can be inhaled or people can step on it and track it into their homes on the bottoms of their shoes. Pets or children playing on the floor can then injest or inhale the lead this way. I don’t know who oversees the project to rerubish old houses with chipping lead paint but obviously somebody is not doing their job. I say Utica shouldn’t get the $2 million grant until they can prove that they can do a clean-up job that is safe and which won’t compromise the health of people living in the vecinity of the condemned homes.