Lead Poisoning

“Lead poisoning doesn’t look like what you would expect it to–it is a favorite toy, a wall in your home, a dinner dish or a kid who otherwise looks fine. When we moved to Maine, my one-year-old son tested positive for lead at the universal screening done per Maine state regulations. After a full CDC investigation, we traced the lead poisoning to this walkway in our backyard, which the kids played on frequently. Luckily, we caught his case within a couple months of moving in, so the long-term effects of developmental disability, cognitive impairment and conduct disorders are highly unlikely. After this experience, I have become quite interested in public health and now lecture on lead poisoning throughout several states. Lead poisoning can happen to any of us, even to your healthy-looking kids in your backyard.”