Robin Brown will warn whoever will listen about the dangers of lead. It is a calling that began more than 20 years ago when her daughter was poisoned at the age of 4.
“It’s hard as a parent to just think that you’re supposed to be doing everything you can to birth a healthy baby, and then the environment can do something to your child,” Brown said.
It is something that is irreversible.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, even low lead levels can permanently lower a child’s IQ, affect their attention span, and reduce their potential at school.
And there is no such thing as a safe amount.
Today experts use a reference of 5 micrograms per deciliter to tell what is high. Brown says her daughter was 14 times that and the consequences were as serious as they get.
“Death, seizure, coma,” Brown said.
Sadly her story is not unique.
According to the Cuyahoga County Board of Health, more than 2,000 children were poisoned in 2014, with most of the cases tied to paint.
Chalene Mudd noticed her 2-year-old’s strange behavior during a home renovation.
“My son woke up in the middle of the night out of nowhere and just started running around the room, screaming at the top of his lungs,” Mudd said. “When I finally got him to calm down a little bit, he ran out in the hallway and started banging his head on the walls and on the hard doors.”
She later learned his level was 25.
“And you say ‘What do I do?’ And people say ‘We don’t really know,’” Mudd said.
Fortunately, there are resources, even grants. But your child must first be tested.
Cuyahoga County recommends starting at nine months and testing each year until a child is 6-years-old, regardless of how healthy they seem.
They stress that is especially important if you live in a home built before 1978 or if your child regularly visits one.
Resources for Parents:
Robin Brown, Community Advocate: (216) 804-7089 or projectinfo216@gmail.com