In Bangalore, over 50% of those under 12 years have high levels of lead in their blood.
If your child is having learning problems, better take him for a check-up for lead poisoning.
Recent studies at the National Referral Centre for Lead Poisoning in India (NRCLPI) have shown that exposure to lead can affect their IQ, ability to concentrate and cause anaemia and disturbed cognitive functions.
“High exposure of lead can cause hearing and reading disabilities. The presence of 100 micro grams of lead per 100 ml of blood can even kill a child,” said Dr Thuppil Venkatesh, principal adviser with NRCLPI.
Venkatesh also serves as professor with the department of biochemistry and biophysics in St John’s Medical College.
Lead is everywhere within your four walls. Look at the coating on the wall. Over 93% of market share of paints manufactured in India is lead-based. The upper limit of lead in paint has been fixed at 1,000 PPM by the Bureau of Indian Standards. However, it is not mandatory and these warnings are never heeded.
“However, in developed nations, lead content of paints is kept below 600 PPM. In the US, the lead content of domestic paints is fixed at below 90 PPM,” he said.
Differentiating lead products from non-lead products is difficult.
“Lead is found in dust on the ceiling, batteries, ceramic glazes, solder, televisions, computer monitors, bullet sinkers, pesticides, crystal ware… plastic colouring, wires, blinds, mines and smelters,” he said.
There are certain colours that have to be avoided as they contain high levels of lead.
“Yellow paint and many coloured pigments contain high amounts of lead. Even kumkum and sindoor, which women daily use, contain abnormal levels of lead. Crayons and painted pencils are also extremely dangerous,” he said.
Even the school bus that your child takes every day may poison him or her as it is usually painted yellow.
“Objects painted yellow in playgrounds, schools and school buses can be very hazardous,” he said.
Although it is difficult to classify the levels of toxicity, NRCLPI has come up with some tests that can measure lead and other toxic heavy metals like mercury and cadmium.
“In Bangalore, over 50% of children below 12 years as on 2000 have lead levels of above 10 milligram/decilitre in their blood,” he said. The studies also show that constant monitoring of blood levels can prevent lead from causing serious damage to people. Educating the concerned and bringing in the much-needed legislation for pollution control can minimise exposure to lead.
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