From contaminated food products to concerns about popular drinkware, lead has been in the news often in the past several months.
Understandably, parents and caregivers are left wondering how to keep their children safe from lead. Kids who are exposed often do not look sick, but even small amounts of lead can harm the brain and cause learning and behavior difficulties.
“It’s important for parents to know the risks and take steps to protect kids from lead exposure,” said Dr. Michelle Gerow, a Pediatrician with ThedaCare Physicians Pediatrics-Neenah. “Protecting children, from exposure to lead is important to lifelong good health. It is also critical to understand that no safe blood lead level in children has been identified.”
Dr. Gerow has been monitoring recent lead concerns that have gained national attention.
Applesauce Outbreak
In late 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recalled certain brands of cinnamon applesauce and apple puree that were found to contain high levels of lead and chromium. The products were sold under the brand names WanaBana, Schnucks and Weis.
The FDA traced the contamination to cinnamon that was included in the pouches. To date, more than 400 kids spanning 44 states, including Wisconsin, have been poisoned in the outbreak.
Chromium is made up of several compounds and is a naturally occurring element with trace levels normally found in the diet, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The exact form of chromium in the recalled applesauce products is unclear. However, lead chromate previously has been reported as a contaminant in spices and foods.
The CDC advises that people should not eat cinnamon-containing apple purée or applesauce products included in the FDA recall announcements. Anyone who may have eaten the affected products should talk with their health care provider.
Cinnamon Recall
In early March 2024, the FDA also recalled several brands of ground cinnamon, mainly sold at discount stories including Family Dollar and Dollar Tree. Consumers should dispose of any of the recalled products that they may have in their homes.
Lead can make it into spices in several ways. These include natural sources such as soil and water, leaded gasoline and through the manufacturing, storage or shipping process.
According to the FDA, lead chromate has [also] been illegally added to certain spices increase to their weight and enhance their color, which increases the monetary value of the adulterated spices. The organization goes on to say it suspects the cinnamon’s manufacturer likely altered the product for economically motivated reasons.
Lead in Water Bottles?
In recent months, concerns have arisen about lead used in the manufacture of popular water bottles, most notably Stanley cups. Stanley released a statement saying that while it uses lead in manufacturing its products, no lead comes into contact with consumers.
Though the company is facing a lawsuit about the use of lead, experts have widely agreed with the company’s assertion that consumers are highly unlikely to come into contact with lead through the products. At the same time, some experts question the decision to use lead when many other water bottle brands do not.
Other Sources of Lead
Dust from lead house paint remains the biggest lead hazard in the United States, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The use of lead paint stopped in 1978, so older homes pose a risk. Lead also may exist in service lines carrying water to homes and lead solder used in plumbing.
The United States tries to monitor for lead in food and toys. However, lead also can appear in certain imported products, including spices, candies, cosmetics and nutritional supplements.
The CDC stated that the health effects of lead exposure are more harmful to children less than six years of age because their bodies are still developing and growing rapidly. Young children also tend to put their hands or other objects, which may be contaminated with lead dust, into their mouths, so they are more likely to be exposed to lead than older children.
“Children with lead exposure may have no apparent acute symptoms,” said Dr. Gerow. “Even low levels of lead have been associated with learning and behavior problems, hearing and speech problems, and slowed growth and development.”
Kids exposed to large amounts of lead may develop symptoms of acute lead poisoning. These include:
- Abdominal pain, constipation, and nausea
- Anemia
- Weakness and fatigue
- Severe neurological symptoms (including seizures, encephalopathy, and coma)
The only way to detect lead in children is with a blood test. Parents whose kids have eaten contaminated products or who are otherwise concerned should talk to their child’s health care provider. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services has released a recommendation calling for universal lead blood testing for all children at the ages of 1 and 2, as well as for any child between the ages of 3 and 5 who have not been tested previously.
Keeping Children Safe
The most important step parents can take is to try to prevent lead exposure.
“Talk to your child’s doctor if you have worries about lead,” Dr. Gerow said. “Beyond that, ensure your child eats a balanced diet that includes foods rich in calcium, iron and vitamin C. These may help keep lead out of the body. Finally, remember to keep your child’s brain engaged through enriching activities like reading, games and puzzles.” To make an appointment for new health concerns or routine care, visit ThedaCare.org/MyChart.
