Bradley and the Bad Pb

Story was created by the KMAC Kids 2001-2002

Bradley is a cute little boy with blond hair and brown eyes and a smile that turns up at the corners.

He lives in a gray house with a white picket fence.

He likes to chase the chickens and ride the giant brown dog that lives in the backyard.

Bradley likes to give big bear hugs to his sister Melanee and his brother William and little bear hugs to his baby brother Andrew.

Most every morning when his mom Diane is working at school, he rides to work with his dad, Scott. He likes his seat in the big black pickup truck.

Bradley likes to run around the shop and play with the tools.

When Bradley turned two, he went to the pediatrician for a checkup. Dr. Jim took some blood out of his arm.

A few days later the doctor called Bradley's mom and told her that the lab had found some lead (Pb) in Bradley's blood.

Lead is dangerous if it gets inside of you, especially if you are little or if you are still inside your mom!

Bradley's dad and mom were worried! Melanee and William were worried, too!

William told his class about Bradley. How did he get lead (Pb) in his blood they all wanted to know?

Nevin said, "Maybe Bradley put paint chips in his mouth or breathed in the dust when you sanded the house last summer?"

"Or maybe he played with the weights from your Pine Wood Derby racer," roared David and Blade.

"Do you take him fishing? Does he play with the sinkers?" quizzed Mackenzie and Lauren and Jake.

"Sometimes lead is in pottery or dishes," reminded Alia and Andrew.

"What about the pipes in your house?" called Gabby and Shay. Old houses can sometimes have lead water pipes or pipes soldered together with lead.

"Lead can be in insecticides!" declared Cierra and Baily. "Do you spray for bugs at your house?

"Does your mom give him home remedies like Azarcon, Greta or Paylooa?" uttered Bobbie and Sherena.

"Do you have vinyl blinds on the windows or peeling paint on the sills?" Delaney and Mariah inquired.

"What about toys?" quizzed Emily and Emily. "Metal toys are sometimes made from lead. Even some pedal cars have paint made with lead. Much too dangerous for kids!"

"Does your family use water from the hot water tap to make formula or mix in his cereal?" The kids wanted to know.

"What about your dad's work clothes and the air in the shop? Could that be a problem for Bradley?" they all wondered.

"AND YOUR DAD AND YOUR Whole FAMILY, TOO?" whispered Leslie.

William and the kids in his class made a list of the lead hazards they knew. They are hopeful it will help Bradley and other kids, too.

Some Sources of Lead

Old paint on homes (pre-1980)
Lead dust in the carpet (pre-1980 homes)
Lead pipes: between 1980-1986 (lead solder in joints)
Old bathtubs (metal)
Marine paint
Yellow stripes in roads
Industrial metals
Lead putty in windows
Brass candle sticks
Old knife sharpeners
Vinyl roll-up venetian blinds
Bullets
Fishing sinkers
Pool cue chalk
Simulated pearls (coating has lead)
Some cosmetics
Canned foods (imported): weld contains lead
Hobbies: artist paint, photography chemicals, stained glass, enamel, bronze or brass plating
Colored newspaper print (comics)
Hair dyes
Home remedies (Azarcon: Coral, Rueda, Maria Luisa), Greta, Albayalde, Pay-loo-ah, Xyuuaj Fab, Tsuaj gais nyiaj, Ghassard, Bala Goli, Kandu, Kohl (Alkohl)
Metal toys or toys with metal paint (wash toys and pacifiers frequently)
Dishes (imported, handmade, bright colored pottery)
Clothes (if a parent works around lead, he/she can bring lead home on clothing)
Costume jewelry (many brands) especially those made outside the U.S.
Candles with a metallic core
Some insecticides

Ways to Help Protect Against Lead Exposures

• Always wash your hands before you eat.
• Take off your shoes at the door.
• Eat a nutritious diet that includes calcium and iron.
• If a parent works with lead, never wear contaminated clothing into the house or wash them with the family laundry.
• Never plant a garden in an area that may have lead from paint chips or other lead hazards.
• If you have questions, contact your local Health Department!

Some Symptoms of Lead Poisoning

In children:

• Headaches
• Inability to sleep
• Muscle aches
• Irritability or hyperactivity
• Nausea
• Constipation
• Weight Loss

In adults:

• Headaches
• Fatigue, feeling weak
• Clumsiness
• Shaking hands
• Dizziness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Felling depressed
• Memory loss
• Difficulty sleeping
• Irritability
• Nervousness
• Muscle or joint aches
• Metallic taste in mouth
• Loss of appetite
• Stomach aches
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Weight loss
• Anemia
• High blood pressure
• Kidney damage
• Infertility

Sometimes lead causes no symptoms! It moves from our blood and stores in our bones and tissue.