ABOUT
Smart discussion of the latest science and news on toxins in your food, water, and air, and what government agencies should be doing to protect public health. Enviroblog is a project of EWG Action Fund.
FEED
An EWG podcast for environmental health news on the go.
TIPS
Did we miss something? Email Enviroblg.
BLOGROLL
STAY CONNECTED
Get our monthly eNewsletter, action alerts, & environmental tips. [Privacy policy, About EWG]
Consumers to FDA: Be there or be square
Toxic cosmetics in teenage girls
FEATURED
Elected officials MIA; Instead Wal-Mart and Burger King protecting your health
Back to school: Are we ready? Are we non-toxic?
Fire retardants: Disproportionate risk to small children
Lead: Celebrate its ban, but don't cross it off your list
7 ways to reduce your exposure to PBDEs
Ask EWG
What can I do about fluoride in my water?
What is new carpet treated with? What can I do?
Are stainless steel water bottles safe?
Is mineral-based makeup safer?
SEARCH
« Google: Making green by being green | Main | Ah, for the toys of my childhood. . . »
Low level lead exposure causes lowered IQ
Blood lead level considered "safe" by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control: 10 µg/dL
Blood lead level shown to have a negative impact on intellectual functioning: 5-9.9 µg/dL
Child IQ at these levels: 4.9 points lower
Did you follow that? If it's a little early in the day (or, um, the year) for you to be thinking in mathematical terms, allow me to translate into plain English: A study (pdf) published last week demonstrates that children with lifetime blood lead levels between 5 and 10 micrograms scored, on average, about 5 points lower on standard IQ tests at age 6. Since the CDC considers anything below 10 micrograms to be normal, the study concludes that children's intellectual functioning is impaired even at low blood lead levels. In case you're wondering, the study included measures to adjust for maternal IQ and other factors that might affect a child's IQ.
If you've been holding out because that recalled toy is little Suzy's favorite and she doesn't put it in her mouth anyway, I'd say this study is a pretty good sign that it's time to let it go. The more research we see, the more it looks like any lead exposure is too much lead exposure.
Comments
I appreciate the information you share here on your blog, it is invaluable. ^_^ keep up the awesome work~
Posted by: slightlytilted | November 29, 2007 11:36 AM
Thanks, slightlytilted! Glad to be of service.
Posted by: Amanda | November 29, 2007 11:47 AM
If it's a little early in the day for you to be thinking in mathematical terms THANK LEAD.
Blood lead levels have declined 80% since I was a kid, so I guess I've lost way more than 5 IQ points as a result.
*Thanks mining companies for digging the stuff out of our hillsides.
*Thanks gasoline manufactures for lobbying to keep it in cars for decades after it was banned in other countries,
*Thanks paint companies for keeping lead in paint until 1978 and then sneaking it in for a while longer,
*Thanks toy-makers for my son's brightly colored trains.
Posted by: sonyala | November 29, 2007 4:23 PM
When my son was tested for lead, and my spouse called for the results, our pediatrician's P.A. said the results were "Fine." I said what's the number, though, and we called back, and when I found out it was 7 I almost hit the roof. This is in Washington, D.C. where the NEXT MONTH it was revealed that the EPA withheld the information that much of the city's tap water had tested high for lead. In D.C., where our 1923 bungalow has old baseboards and rickety old windows that create lots of lead dust when opened and shut.
Anyway we drove ourselves crazy for a year with repainting and water filtering and housecleaning and antique-pitching until we got the boy's lead level down to 2. Repeat almost exact same story with child #2 (except they knew to give me the exact lead level this time--and it was 6).
There is mucho research showing that ANY lead (or mercury) on little kids is bad news, it's just that the CDC will never be able to lower their "level of concern" of 10 since there are so many old houses, and old water pipes, in this country. The poison is already out there.
Seems we can at least start by having pediatricians warn their patients' parents about the dangers of lead...it's just not safe at any speed.
Posted by: susan c. | November 29, 2007 11:26 PM