A new study finds that exposure to even very low lead levels can cause
brain damage in children. Rebecca Williams reports:
Transcript
A new study finds that exposure to even very low lead levels can cause
brain damage in children. Rebecca Williams reports:
Children can be exposed to lead through lead-based paint in homes, or
lead in imported toys or other products.
The researchers looked at children with lead levels in their blood that
were below the level the federal government considers to be dangerous.
They studied the children over a six year period. And found that
children exposed to lead at very low levels had reduced IQ scores by 5
points.
Richard Canfield is a senior author of the study in the journal
Environmental Health Perspectives:
“The evidence at this point is quite strong that meaningful effects on
children’s cognitive performance are due to small amounts of lead and
in fact, amounts below what the current regulations allow.”
Canfield says no one knows at this point if there is any safe level of
lead exposure.
For the Environment Report, I’m Rebecca Williams.