Lead Poisoning

Liz and her husband were thrilled to be first time home buyers in April, 1996. They purchased an old farmhouse in a historical zone of the urban core of Providence, Rhode Island, just five minutes from downtown. As she described it, a "fixer upper."

They moved into the home with their two sons, 6-year-old Samuel and an 8-month-old baby. Liz did not immediately notice any signs or symptoms of illness, as there frequently are none with lead poisoning. Just before Samuel's first birthday, she took him for his routine pediatric check-up. Soon after, she received a phone call alerting her that his blood lead level was 36 and that she should make an appointment at a local hospital. By the time of the appointment, Samuel’s blood lead level had gone from 36 to 52, and he was hospitalized immediately. Ultimately, it was found that the house was the source of the lead, and the family took all the necessary precautions during Samuel's hospital stay to make the home safe for his return.

"You don't see symptoms when you have lead poisoning," said Liz. "The only way to know if someone is lead poisoned, and what they are dealing with, is to have a blood test. There's no if, ands, or buts about it."

The entire family helped out through 5 and a half years, comprised of cycles of chelation therapy and back-and-forth to a lead clinic to monitor Samuel's yo-yoing blood lead levels. It wasn't until Samuel was six and a half years old that his blood level dropped below 10 and stayed that way.

Samuel is 11 years old now, and his blood lead level is 7. Liz still makes sure he gets a blood test at his annual physical just to check for changes, hoping his blood lead level will go down even more. Developmental monitoring and significant use of learning tools at home have helped Samuel continue progress in his education advancement. Liz has also spent the last several years sharing her experiences by working as the Director of Training and Outreach at the Childhood Lead Action Project of Rhode Island and looks forward to a time when lead poisoning will be obsolete.

"I'm glad I became an advocate because I've learned so much from my experience."