How A Home Water Filter Can Reduce Your Child?s Risk Of Learning Disabilities
Lead is one of the most dangerous toxins a person can be exposed to in his
lifetime. Besides damage from radioactive or nuclear chemicals, significant
exposure to lead can cause some of the most severe and even fatal health effects
possible. It seems to be fairly common knowledge that lead is dangerous and that one should
avoid exposure to lead whenever possible. Fewer and fewer paints are lead-based
and leaded gasoline has been almost entirely phased out. People all over the world
are now making concerted efforts to protect themselves from this dangerous metal. Without doubt, most, if not all, parents would agree that they would like to protect
their children from the damaging effects of lead exposure and ingestion. Most
parents would also agree that they are doing an adequate job of protecting their
children from lead exposure. Still, these same parents (unknowingly) may be
exposing and even encouraging their children to take lead into their bodies each
and every day. So, where does this lead come from and why does nobody seem to know about it?
The answer to these questions lies in the water we take into our bodies each day.
The seemingly safe tap water of most homes in the United States contains lead.
When we drink this water untreated, we are consistently allowing lead to poison the
inner workings of our bodies. In most homes built before 1978, lead from lead-soldered pipes in the plumbing
system corrodes into drinking water as that water passes through pipes on its way
to faucets. From the pipes to the faucet, lead infiltrates our drinking water and
makes its way into our bodies and our children's bodies. Municipal water treatment
plants cannot control for this contaminant in water; therefore, lead continues to
make its way into our water, with little or no regulation. In order to remove this
dangerous contaminant from drinking water, it is absolutely vital to employ a point-
of-use water filter. Clearly, we all know that lead is dangerous and that we should make efforts to avoid
it, but what exactly is so very dangerous about lead? It is only a naturally occurring
metal, after all, and iron--another naturally occurring metal--is supposed to be
good for the body. Lead, however, while dangerous for all people, leads to
particularly damaging health and mental problems in babies and young children.
Let's first examine the general damaging health effects of lead ingestion and then
focus specifically on the results of lead poisoning for babies and small children. General Health Effects of Lead
Short-term exposure to large amounts of lead has been known to cause severe
vomiting, cramping, convulsions, coma, and even death. While such exposure is
increasingly unlikely in today's world, even relatively low-level exposure to lead can
cause some significant health problems. Lead is a leading cause of anemia, a
syndrome that affects more than 3.5 million people in the United States. Continued
exposure to lead can also affect nervous system functioning, resulting in
impairment of mental functioning, difficulty in memory and concentration, and
inability to sleep. A lifetime of exposure to lead can adversely affect kidney
functioning. Lead poisoning is also a leading cause of high blood pressure, one of
the current deadliest conditions for individuals in the United States. Consistently
rising numbers of high blood pressure and anemia cases--syndromes that have not
traditionally been connected to lead poisoning--should certainly be considered
when discussing the role of lead ingestion on the body. Effects of Lead Poisoning on Babies and Young Children
Lead is especially damaging to babies and small children, due to the relative ease at
which their bodies absorb the contaminant and the sensitive nature of their
developing brains. Concerning the impact of lead poisoning on children, the U. S.
Environmental Protection Agency recently stated, "Childhood lead poisoning remains
a major environmental health problem in the U.S.." According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, approximately one out of every 22 children has
high levels of lead in his blood. Lead poisoning gives rise to several damaging health conditions in young children's
developing bodies. The younger the child is, the more damaging lead poisoning
can be. The long-term effects of exposure to lead for young children include
learning disabilities, hyperactivity, depressed growth, hearing impairments, and
even brain damage. For pregnant women, ingestion of lead can result in a host of birth defects and
developmental problems for their growing babies. Ingestion of lead is particularly
harmful to babies during the critical third trimester of pregnancy. Lead can pass
into a baby's body through breast-feeding, as well. Diagnoses of hyperactivity and learning disabilities are growing by leaps and
bounds in public schools, perhaps because of so much unknowing exposure to lead
and increasing cases of lead poisoning. What You Can Do
Knowing what we do about lead and its effects on our children and ourselves, what
can we do to prevent exposure to this dangerous metal? There are several
approaches--all of them important--that you can take now to protect yourself and
your family. Firstly, it is important to keep your home clean and dust-free because
much of your child's exposure to lead comes from dirt and dust on the floor. It is
also incredibly important to have your child tested for lead poisoning if you suspect
or notice any of the symptoms. With early treatment, many of these problems can
be quickly alleviated. It is also absolutely vital to begin, or continue using, a home water filtration system.
Untreated tap water is likely the culprit of the majority of you and your child's
exposure to lead. A simple home water filter can remove lead quickly and easily to
ensure that you and your family are protected from the volatile, dangerous nature of
this metal. Every parent wants to give her children every opportunity possible to succeed;
taking a few minutes to provide clean, healthy water to drink is one of the best and
easiest ways to accomplish this goal. Vanessa Lausch is a writer for http://www.historyofwaterfilters.com/ - online source for water information.
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