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Parenting Bringing up the shorties so they aren't completely messed up

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Old 09-25-2004, 08:15 PM   #1
footfootfoot
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Regular or Unleaded?

We just got Elfin Bedwe'er's bloodwork back from the lab and his lead levels are pretty damn high, a shade under 30 mc/dl (he's 9 months).

This totally sucks. The state is sending some lead abatement/counsellor to our house to "learn us" all about lead.

Our house is about 150 years old. It is basically constructed of lead. Probably would only have more lead in it if it were made from old car batteries.

Anyway, we are going to have to do some serious lead abatement, but maybe we'll sell the house and move. It would be cheaper. As a friend of mine used to joke: "What DOES a quart of gasoline cost these days?"

I'm sure we'll get all kinds of helpful (read condescending) advice from the state worker about how to reduce his blood lead levels, but does anyone here have any experience with this?

The most irksome thing is that the case worker assumes we're ignant po trash because our kid has high lead levels. Well, we might be, but we're both college granulates.
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Old 09-26-2004, 10:08 AM   #2
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Will they let you sell the house? Where I am, it's illegal to sell a house that fails certain major inspection standards. I would think lead content would be one of them. Is there any chance homeowner's insurance will pay for some of it?
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Old 09-26-2004, 10:40 AM   #3
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I don't know about lead levels and selling a house, nor do I know much about removal of same other than to tell you to call a contractor, but I might recommend looking into chelation therapy for reducing the lead levels in the blood. Hopefully before they become too toxic and cause brain damage.

I have not tried it myself (I never liked paint chips, I liked potato ) but some people tell me it helps a lot.

Brian
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Old 09-26-2004, 12:13 PM   #4
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My friend's husband worked in a car-battery plant (Exide) and apparently he was able to bring home enough lead from working there that their daughter's level became dangerously high. He found another job and the kid's level went down. I know other people who have worked there who had to sign waivers absolving the company from any liability related to the lead, and saying they had been informed of the dangers of working there.

I thought chelation was some kind of new-age type holistic treatment. Maybe I'm thinking of something else with a similar name?
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Old 09-26-2004, 05:32 PM   #5
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It is. But it does work to lower heavy metal levels in the body. Or so I'm told.
I think it has something to do with chemical reactions that sediment out the lead and allow the liver to filter it. Or something like that. I really should research this for myself instead of relying on anecdotal evidence.

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Old 09-26-2004, 05:49 PM   #6
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Okay. here is a link that explains what chelation is and what it is used for. Other sites have denounced it as "quack" medicine. I dunno.

Doctors seem threatened by anything that upsets their apple cart and flies in the face of conventional thinking. Witness the germ theory espoused by, I think, Lister...yeah...that's the guy. The medical establishment pilloried the man and then after he died, admitted that they were wrong and made him a hero.

So think, research and make your own decisions. Or ignore me. Many do, and survive just fine. It was just a suggestion.

Brian
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Old 09-26-2004, 06:40 PM   #7
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Working with lead is tricky because of the dust particles and fumes if it's heated. But in your home it's solid, in the paint and maybe some pipes.

Lead, like asbestos, isn't a problem if you leave it alone. At 9 months, is he chewing on window sills? Is the paint flaking or dusting off? Do you have any lead pipes in the supply pipeing?

You should have your levels checked also, because this doesn't make sense, unless you're remodeling and putting the lead in the air.
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Old 09-26-2004, 09:23 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Clodfobble
Will they let you sell the house? Where I am, it's illegal to sell a house that fails certain major inspection standards. I would think lead content would be one of them. Is there any chance homeowner's insurance will pay for some of it?
Clod,
Yeah, up here (upstate ny) most houses are pretty old. You do have to 'fess up first though. Our realtor told us not to bother having a lead test done. She guaranteed that there was lead in the house.

Homeowners insurance mocks us derisively. (a pre-existing condition? ha ha)
but there are grants from the state that will kick in significantly to abatement.

BrianR, My wife's brother is a doctor and he gave us some advice about not freaking out too much. He doesn't recommend the chelation program. It hasn't been proven to be effective and since Bedwe'er's levels are low enough to avoid it, we will for now. I don't trust people sticking needles into other people. I know people who got Hep C from routine friendly haha procedures so, the less perforating the better.

jane_says,
Yeah, I've heard about monitoring people who work with lead. It seems like all you have to do is think about it and your levels rise. Someone told me they discovered their kids had elevated lead levels after the family cat mysteriously died... of lead poisoning.

So what about the folks who work uranium mines?

Brianr,
Checked the link about chelation therapy. That model with the lab coat and clipboard (Dr.?) seems cute and friendly enough that I don't feel threatened at all. My pulse isn't racing, but something about crackers in bed never mind.

I am always suspicious of anything that is being sold to chakras 2 and up where the advertising is aimed at #1. Granted she wasn't wearing a bikini, that would be over the top, but she seemed a little too chipper. Whoa, I'm digressing.

What is really more interesting to me is that EDTA is often used as a wetting agent in photography. It is weird how many chemicals I see that are in my darkroom. Maybe I could start a "shadetree chelation clinic" Clinic sounds too unfriendly. Maybe SPA is the word I'm looking for.

I dunno, as a reformed macrobiotic (kill the pig, drink its blood!) I am so leery of these "magic bullet" cures.

Another friend (holistic md) thinks the whole lead thing is a red herring. I mean, we're all alive and mostly well.

Quote:
Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce
Working with lead is tricky because of the dust particles and fumes if it's heated. But in your home it's solid, in the paint and maybe some pipes.

Lead, like asbestos, isn't a problem if you leave it alone. At 9 months, is he chewing on window sills? Is the paint flaking or dusting off? Do you have any lead pipes in the supply pipeing?

You should have your levels checked also, because this doesn't make sense, unless you're remodeling and putting the lead in the air.
Leave it alone. That is my new motto. "Just say: 'Leave It Alone'."

Nah, he's not gnawing yet, but he spent the last few months tasting everything he could grab. We figured "heck we live in the country, it's clean dirt." Well maybe cleaner than the city, but really just different dirt.

No lead pipes. But the paint (what is left) on the outside of the house is probably original c. 1850 and I hear that back then paint was up to 50% lead.
I spent two years renovating the house before we moved in (it was a horrorshow) there was a lot of airborn lead, heatgunned, zipstipped, sanded, scraped, crunched underfoot, lunch eaten amidst the debris, etc. it was cleaned, painted, aired out, vacant for a year before we actually moved in.

I had my lead levels checked and they were "normal" I don't remember the numbers. It seems the dust is persistant and the drill is wash with a phosphate based detergent, using disposable wipes. vacuum 3-5 times with a HEPA filter. From the sound of it, it's like honey; first it's running down the side of the bear and before you know it it's on your elbow and you've gotten it all over your car door.

Thanks for your input(s). I'll keep you posted as things progress. Today we spent the day cleaning.

One thing that is weird about lead is that the body can't distinguish it from calcium or iron. So the treatment most recommended is to add a lot of calcium and iron to the baby's diet. That way when the body goes hunting for calcium or iron, there is proportionally less lead in the mix.
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Old 09-27-2004, 06:46 AM   #9
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Hey footfootfoot, is Bedwe'er his name or his nickname, and how do you pronounce it?
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Old 09-27-2004, 06:24 PM   #10
footfootfoot
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Clodfobble
Hey footfootfoot, is Bedwe'er his name or his nickname, and how do you pronounce it?
C'fob,
It's a nickname. I think it is from monty python and the holy grail. It's pronounced bed•we're, like: 'we're on our way'. I think it is a contraction of bed wetter. Except he's still in diapers so he doesn't get a chance to wet the bed. yet.

I need to see that movie again. I used to have the soundtrack.
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Old 09-27-2004, 06:46 PM   #11
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I think you're thinking of Sir Bedevere.

But as a contraction of "Bedwetter" it's quite hilarious, and will be very useful for parental taunting in later years ... particularly on the night of the Senior Prom. That's an excellent embarrass in front of the date story.
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Old 09-27-2004, 06:50 PM   #12
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Can you explain the macrobiotic thing to me? I've heard it bandied about quite a bit recently but haven't a clue what it means.
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Old 09-27-2004, 10:39 PM   #13
footfootfoot
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Wolf,
OK now I have to see that movie again. Thanks for clearing that up. As they say, the palest ink is better than the best memory. Somehow, I'm not surprised that you are a "fellow traveller". heh heh
Now, if only my memory lasts long enough to make it to his senior prom...

Jane_says,
Macrobiotic, in theory = macro, large, long bios, life. (the following is a retrospective view and if any macros read this, everyone else put on your Nomex undies) As it first incarnated in this country it was really nothing more than confused, ethnocentric (Japan, surprise!) new age babble. Essentially espousing: eat seasonally, locally, according to your condition and constitution. This may sound ok, but the diet was really a bit whacky and the advice was pretty culturally biased. The second son of macros (michio Kushi) was a chain smoking, womanizing, charlaton whose macrobiotic seal of approval could be bought for 30 or 40 grand.

As I understand, Macrobiotics now is a little more balanced in its views, but still is appealing to extremists who like to live by rules rather than free thinking.

Well, that was a pretty broad brush.
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Old 10-03-2004, 06:26 PM   #14
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I found the culprit in my cellar today. This can must be at least 30 years old as we used it in the machine shop to lubricate lathe centers.
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Old 10-03-2004, 07:24 PM   #15
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Aw remember when Benzene was the best thing to wash tools & hands with?
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