> Date:    Sat, 8 Jun 1996 04:04:58 -0400
> From:    Ruth Wilson <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: lead in baby
>
> This may have been addressed before bu tgot a call from mom of an 11 month
> girl sm stature thin slow gainer Brfed till 7 mos than combined with solids
> at age 10 had a lead level drawn at health dept and it is "9" mom panicky
> calls for chance of lead in milk ?----mom NOT tested wants to know if she
> should wean and wants docs to prescribe chelation is concerned level is
> border line but contraversial re: whether to treat for lead or not lives in
> old house with vinyl mini blinds reported to shed lead dust ??????what
> should advice be to mom wean? test ? treat? (chelation?) i told her test
> self first....mom is an artist paints etc.
>
Dear Ruth,

        We had this experience with both my children, where they had
borderline lead tests (hovering around 10).  The only treatment that we
undertook was liquid orange-flavored iron supplement, which could be
added to orange juice to aid in absorption (NOT with milk which inhibits
iron absorption).  After a few months, this helped their levels to drop.
As far as I know, chelation is usually necessary ONLY when levels get
closer to 15-20 (this must be parts per billion, I'm assuming).  At ages
3 and 6 now, my kids are considered OK with levels about 6 or 7, which is
probably average for New England city dwellers, where lead is absolutely
everywhere, even in soil, not just in old windowsills.  My own level was
about 5, when I had it tested 4 years ago.

Since this woman is a painter, it's possible she may be experiencing
elevated levels herself, but only if she is actually using lead-based
white oil paints, not acrylics.  But, I did ask one of the docs I work
with about this, and they indicated that pregnancy itself is a worse risk
for lead crossover than breastfeeding.  You should check out my recent
posting about occupational chemical exposures (early last week, around
June 1), and see the abstract by Mary Wolff I posted from the American
Journal of Industrial Medicine from 1983.  The abstract outline mentions
lead, but not in great detail.  I would go find the article for more info.

So, my final 'recommendation/opinion' is SHE DOES NOT NEED TO WEAN.  The
thought being that even if there are these borderline lead levels, the
brain development benefits of the breastmilk should counteract, along with
perhaps some liquid iron supplementaion, the neurological effects of the
lead exposure.

By the way, my kids were and are both extremely verbal, and my oldest
could write her name by 4-1/2, tie her shoes by 4-1/2, is reading in
kindergarten, and both have excellent memories.  I attribute this to the
benefits of very-long-term breastfeeding, attachment parenting and
perhaps(?) those brief treatments of iron supplementation.

     - Janna
                                ,,^,,
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! @(*.*)@ !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                                 `-'
Janna M. Frelich                             [log in to unmask]
Applications Programmer/Analyst
Occupational Health Program
Harvard School of Public Health

Coordinator, Harvard SPH Breastfeeding Resource Center