Lead Poisoning News and Research

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Lead is a naturally occurring metal that has been used extensively throughout history. Its usage is traced right back to ancient history. High exposure to lead, particularly in young children, is associated with health complications. Lead poisoning is not a new phenomenon. Reports of lead poisoning from water pipes and wine containers date back to Roman times.

Lead levels in foods prepared in aluminum pots from Cameroon exceed US guidelines for lead intake

Lead levels in foods prepared in aluminum pots from Cameroon exceed U.S. guidelines for lead consumption according to a new study published this month.

13 Aug 2014

Firearm injury prevention in children: Setting the research agenda

Pediatric leaders and researchers will tackle the complex subject of gun violence and critical gaps in research during a symposium on Saturday, May 4, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia.

5 May 2014

Experts sound alarm about the dangers of industrial chemicals on children’s health

In a Review published in The Lancet Neurology, two of the world’s leading experts on the link between environment and children’s health are sounding the alarm on the dangers of industrial chemicals. They are calling on countries to transform their chemical risk-assessment procedures in order to protect children from everyday toxins that may be causing a global “silent epidemic” of brain development disorders.

18 Feb 2014

WHO calls on countries to eliminate lead poisoning that affects children globally

Lead poisoning has devastating health consequences, in particular for children, with childhood lead exposure estimated to contribute to 600 000 new cases of children with intellectual disabilities every year. Overall, 99% of children affected by high exposure to lead live in low- and middle-income countries, says WHO on the occasion of International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action, and calls on countries to strengthen national actions to eliminate lead paint.

18 Oct 2013

New study indicates that lead concentration may be higher below soil surface

A newly published analysis of data from hundreds of soil samples from 31 properties around southern Rhode Island finds that the lead concentration in soil at the surface is not always a reliable indicator of the contamination a foot deeper.

19 Sep 2013

Study reveals olive leaf extract can inhibit lead-induced brain injury

In recent years, neurotoxicity from exposure to low levels of lead in the environment has become increasingly prevalent. Therefore, the discovery of herbs that have lead-eliminating properties without harmful side effects is essential for the management of lead poisoning.

17 Sep 2013

Steven W. Kairys recognized as Pediatrician of the Year

K. Hovnanian Children's Hospital proudly announces that Steven W. Kairys, MD, MPH, FAAP was recently honored by The American Academy of Pediatrics New Jersey Chapter at its Third Annual New Jersey Children's Ball as "Pediatrician of the Year" for his outstanding clinical care and continued dedication to improving the health and wellness of children, across New Jersey and nationally.

16 May 2013

Community-based efforts may hold the key for reducing lead hazards in homes

A new study appearing this week in the Journal of Health Politics, Policy, and Law catalogues community-based efforts to develop strategies and policies that - by targeting high risk housing - may hold the key to reducing lead hazards in children's homes.

7 May 2013

Exposure to harmful quantities of lead may lead to juvenile delinquency

Lead is a common element but is found in old paints (including those once used on children's toys), soil, old piping, water, and the atmosphere from lead-containing vehicular fuels, even drinking vessels. At high dose it is lethal but also causes seemingly trivial symptoms such as headaches. However, in children lead can also lead to irreversible damage to the organs, the kidneys in particular, and the nervous system including the brain.

13 Feb 2013

Atpif1 gene regulates hemoglobin synthesis during red blood cell formation

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) have discovered a new gene that regulates hemoglobin synthesis during red blood cell formation. The findings advance the biomedical community's understanding and treatment of human anemias and mitochondrial disorders.

7 Nov 2012

NACA could prevent or cure cataracts, macular degeneration and other eye conditions

Researchers at Missouri University of Science and Technology are working with an antioxidant that could prevent or cure cataracts, macular degeneration and other degenerative eye disorders.

10 Oct 2012

Global alliance aims to protect those at risk from toxic pollutants

"A global alliance to protect the world's people from toxic lead, chromium, mercury, pesticides and other pollution has been formed by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, U.N. agencies, donor countries, foundations and non-government experts in July," freelance journalist Ben Barber reports in this post in Huffington Post's "Green" blog.

13 Aug 2012

State roundup: The effects of proposed Calif. budget cuts; Fewer free vaccinations in Texas

Low-income children in rural California communities are in jeopardy of losing their doctors and health care plans under Gov. Jerry Brown's budget proposal, state lawmakers, doctors and health advocates say. The governor is proposing to transfer nearly 900,000 children enrolled in Healthy Families, the state's Children's Health Insurance Program, to Medi-Cal – a program aimed at serving the state's poorest families, seniors and disabled residents.

30 May 2012

Prenatal home screening and remediation prevent childhood lead poisoning

An initiative in St. Louis targeted the homes of pregnant women to receive inspection and remediation of lead hazards before the birth of a child. According to a study just published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology this measure prevented childhood lead poisoning and reduced the overall burden of lead toxicity in children.

3 Mar 2012

New research reveals legacy of lead from old inner city roads a major source of airborne contamination

An international research study published last week in the journal Atmospheric Environment has found that re-suspended roadside soil dust is a major source of atmospheric lead in old inner city areas.

15 Jan 2012

Pennsylvania Department of Health to provide free influenza and Tdap vaccines

The Department of Health will offer free influenza and Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (Tdap) vaccines at the 2012 Pennsylvania Farm Show, Jan. 9-13, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

7 Jan 2012

Viewpoints: Republicans' 'gift' to Obama; Essential benefits rule a 'lump of coal'

One photo snapped Wednesday on Capitol Hill captured the essence of Congress in 2011. It showed a group of senior House Republicans sitting on one side of a long table, waiting for their Senate counterparts to show up for a negotiating session the House had demanded. ... What viewers should really have seen in the photo was the Republican leadership team whose miscalculations may soon cause payroll taxes to go up -; and unemployment benefits to be truncated, and payment rates to Medicare doctors slashed. That's on the verge of happening.

23 Dec 2011

Roundup: Calif. to drop hospital report cards; Getting a doctor in N.Y. may depend on your neighborhood

The project was considered a pioneering effort when it started in 2004, but Jan Emerson-Shea, a spokesperson for the California Hospital Association, says the report cards have outlived their usefulness. "Today there are numerous places consumers can get information on the quality of care delivered by hospitals," Emerson-Shea says.

6 Dec 2011

BPA found in kids’ canned food

The chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) that is suspected to be harmful to babies may be found in several child-friendly canned foods. Breast Cancer Fund researchers tested for bisphenol A (BPA) in six products specifically marketed to children. Included in the list were such popular kid-targeted meals as Campbell’s “Disney Princess" soup with "shaped pasta with chicken in chicken broth” and Annie’s Homegrown certified organic “Cheesy Ravioli.” BPA, which is found in plastics, cash-register receipts, dental sealants and even money, has been linked in animal studies to a host of health ills, including possible cancers and developmental problems and early puberty.

22 Sep 2011

Study explores impact of environmental toxins on health care costs and childhood morbidity

In three new studies published in the May issue of the journal Health Affairs, Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers reveal the staggering economic impact of toxic chemicals and air pollutants in the environment, and propose new legislation to mandate testing of new chemicals and also those already on the market.

5 May 2011