GREENER LIVING with 'Dr. G'
aka Gary 'Dr. G' Ginsberg
Toxicology Expert * Consumer Advocate * Talk Radio Advisor
LEAD
Was your house built before 1978?
NO? Great news. That means you don't have lead pain to worry about. However, there are other sources of lead that can be toxic to you and your children.
Other things to note however: If your home was built before 1987, the plumbing may have lead in it - causing your drinking water to be at risk for lead. There are also a number of consumer products and hobbies that can still be a source oflead. You may also bring lead home from your job on your clothing. Or your child may pick up lead at day care, school or a neighbor's house.
Learn more about being safe from lead in our book "What's Toxic, What's Not" and for good basic information
check out the CDC for more ways to protect you and your family.
If YES - Your House WAS built before 1978,
you should be concerned if you have small children under aged 5 in the house.
If you DO have a young child or children - Have them blood 'lead' tested.
The results will look like the table below and determine your next steps.
| Blood Level | Health Effects | What You Should Do |
| Less the 10 ug/dl | None | No action needed |
| 10-19 ug/dl | Subtle Effects on Learning | Search and Remove Lead Sources(Instructions below) |
| >20 ug/dl | Effects on Learning, Stomachache, Irritability | Remove child from home or location that contains lead and make safe. |
NOTE: Any test over 10 ug/dl should be followed up by a retest to confirm result.
Test all children in household.
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