Our family recently moved to a small, ranch-style house built in the sixties. We absolutely love the house, and although it is just a rental, we were excited to get settled in here.

A few days ago, Scribble had his 2 year well child visit. At the end of the visit, he was subject to a mandatory lead screening. I didn’t think anything of it, except to be worried about how Scribble would react to the venous blood draw.

Then this past Monday, we got some news: Scribble’s blood lead level are elevated past what is considered normal.  The CDC classifies anything less than 5 as normal, and Scribble came in at 6.

My initial reaction was panic, and then, predictably, guilt. I foolishly hadn’t considered that moving into a house built in the sixties might be an issue. The windows are new and the interior of the house had recently been repainted. The exterior is brick. I seriously thought that lead poisoning was a thing of the past. I started scanning the house for other potential lead sources.

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I had an appointment at my own doctor’s office on the day we found out, so while I was there I had my lead level checked as well.  The results are still pending, but I hope they might give us some clues as to the origins of Scribble’s problem.  I figure if I have high levels, that certainly must mean that the lead problem is airborne or in our water (since I don’t tend to spend time mouthing toys or sucking my thumb the way Scribble frequently does).

After my initial panic abated, I did the next logical thing: page Dr. Google. I was amazed at how much conflicting and confusing information exists about lead exposure. To begin with, the CDC recently raised their standards by lowering the acceptable lead level amount from 10 micrograms per deciliter to 5. In previous years, Scribble’s level (6) would have been considered normal. So there’s a possibility that there are many older children out there who have or had high lead levels, but are not aware of the problem.

I was also amazed at how many things can cause elevated lead levels. The usual suspects of course: old paint, automotive supplies, imported toys. But I read about things that I never suspected to contain lead: certain brands of juice, tap water, bottled water, vintage enamelware, pottery, keys, chapstick, and name brand toys from mainstream brands like Fisher Price and Mattel. It is hard to separate the rumors from science, but one thing immediately rang bells for me. I had read that lead can be found in older bathtubs. Metal tubs that are coated in ceramic can leach lead. Even new tubs can have contain lead additives, but older ones are more of a risk because the lead leaches out over time when the surface of the tub is abraded by scrub brushes and cleaners.

While I was getting my blood tested and googling, my husband was out buying DIY lead tests from Home Depot.  We tested painted surfaces, dishes, and, finally, the bathtub. The only surface that tested positive was the tub. Lead has to be ingested, so we think it could be from Scribble’s occasional habit of sipping bath water (yuck).

Today I was googling to find some more information about the home tests, and found that they are very inconsistent. I was left questioning the validity of our test results. With that in mind, I called the health department today to schedule a comprehensive lead test. Unfortunately, the health department only intervenes when a child’s lead level is above 10, so they can’t help us. Our only option may be to privately hire a lead inspector and have this done ourselves.

If the bathtub is the culprit, there are some options for us. We can have the tub resurfaced by a lead-certified contractor. We could also take the tub out completely. Unfortunately, this is a rental and our state does not heavily regulate how landlords must respond to lead issues, so we are really at the mercy of the landlord. Our landlord happens to be compliant, but the space itself would make a fix difficult. Our home is very small, and the bathroom is in great condition, with loads of tile work that is original to the home. It is also the only bathroom in the house. I am not confident that our landlord will be able to remove the tub without it being a very complex renovation that would leave us without a bathroom for a few weeks. And of course it is possible that the tests we used were faulty, and that the house could test positive for lead in other areas.

Scribble’s lead level is still quite low, and right now he isn’t exhibiting any symptoms of lead poisoning.  So far I haven’t been too anxious about his health.  But the more time I spend researching all of the ill effects of lead exposure– from fertility issues to kidney failure to learning disabilities– the more my anxiety creeps up. If I can track down every source of lead in this home, can we keep our family here? Or would we always have a sneaking suspicion that there are lingering lead issues?

Now that I am aware of the potential for lead poisoning, I will be more careful about choosing used or older items. In the next few days I hope to have my home inspected for lead, and I will share how that goes and what direction we decide to take!

Has your child been exposed to lead? How do you handle the risks?