LEAD: A SWEET-TASTING POISON

Soaked with a hearty slurp, tiny fingers mop baseboards and windowsills. Little fingers reach for sunlit dust specks and fascinating paint chips.

When youngsters are outside, dirt rates beyond the condiment category, it is practically a main course.

Young children's propensities for putting things into their mouths may be looked upon as a rite of passage by many adults but, in some instances, it could prove deadly for less-than-obvious reasons.

"People need to be aware of the possibilities of lead or lead exposure for their children in their homes, particularly if they're living in an older home," said Jane Wernsman, head nurse at the Cape Girardeau County Health Department.

Lead poisoning is a disease caused by swallowing or inhaling lead. Children are most at risk because their bodies absorb lead more easily than do adult bodies, and because they put most everything into their mouths.

The threat, in some cases, may be invisible and if there are symptoms, they can be misleading.

"When it does affect you, lots of times the problems are subtle, yet the consequences can be severe," said Dr. Connie Simmons, a Cape Girardeau pediatrician with the Internal Medicine Group, Division of Pediatrics.

Among the possible effects of exposure to low levels of lead are damage to the nervous system, impaired hearing and growth interference.

Studies show lead exposure may also cause behavioral problems and make learning difficult.

High-level-lead exposure can be toxic, leading to coma, convulsions or even death.

Main sources of lead contamination are chipped and flaking paint and contaminated soil and water.

"The Centers for Disease Control say that lead poisoning is one of the most common and yet preventable pediatric health problems today," Simmons said, concurring with that finding.

A national survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and released in July put the number of children ages 1 through 5 who have elevated blood-lead readings at 1.7 million, or some 8.9 percent, according to Mike Carter, lead program coordinator with the Missouri Department of Public Health.

There isn't a uniform program to identify how many Missouri children have dangerously high-lead levels, or if certain regions are more at risk than others, but the state Department of Health hopes that will be remedied soon.

It is moving ahead with plans to reintroduce to the Missouri legislature a proposal to conduct a statewide lead prevalence test.

"Our plans are to resubmit that in some form or fashion," Carter said. The proposal was not fully funded last year.

Until a full assessment can be done, Carter explained, it is difficult to determine the ramifications of spot surveys across the state.

But numbers like those recorded during the last 14 months at the Cape Girardeau County Health Department warrant the need for further investigation, Carter maintains.

Some 80 children were screened for blood lead at the county health department between July 1993 and last September. Of that number, 21 percent had elevated blood-lead readings, Wernsman said.

To help parents become more aware of the dangers of lead, Simmons incorporates discussion of the subject during well-child exams involving children from infant to age 5. From those conversations, "if we feel they're at risk, then we'll obtain a lead level," she said.

A blood test reveals whether lead is present in the body and the extent of exposure.

Simmons and several other local health-care providers believe many people are neither aware of the potential dangers posed by lead nor know where to look for potential problems.

Ralph Frye of Larron Laboratories agrees. "I don't think people in general realize how dangerous this can be," he said.

But some measure of realization may be on the rise. Frye said Larron gets quite a few calls from people asking if the laboratory can test their home for lead.

Larron can conduct in-depth structural surveys using an X-ray fluorescence gun which, Frye explained, uses a radioactive source to detect lead.

Secondly, people can take samples of suspected lead sources and the laboratory will test them.

"It's the same way with drinking water," Frye added.

Likewise, Jim Sander of Sander True Value Hardware noted that customer concern about not only lead but other possible home contamination factors have prompted the production of home test kits.

"Whatever the individual is most concerned about, they can come in, I have a chart that tells what these testing kits will do, how best to approach using it," he noted.

Part of Howard Courtney's job is to identify sources of lead exposure in the home.

An environmental sanitarian with the Cape Girardeau County Health Department, Courtney said there are some basic clues adults can be on the lookout for to reduce the risk of lead exposure.

According to the National Lead Information Center, any house or apartment built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint and most homes built before 1960 contain lead-based paint.

"There's still a lot of old paint around that children could be subject to," Courtney said.

Covering the old, lead-based paint doesn't eliminate the problem because chipping and flaking can still occur.

Officials note that remodeling of older homes can put children at risk unless great care is taken when addressing possible lead-bearing surfaces.

Lead particles can even be present in dust from such surfaces. Wet mopping with high-phosphate cleansers is recommended.

Another source can be found just below the exterior walls of the home.

"Lead never really breaks down," Courtney explained, "once it gets into the soil, it will still be there for children to sample for many years."

Lead chips will typically sink no more than a couple of inches into the soil, Courtney said. "Water will not carry it away ... it will not leach out."

"If you don't see any plants growing, wanting to take root, it's a real indication" that lead may be present in the soil around a home, he said.

Until the mid- to late-1980s, lead solder was used to connect plumbing. And, Courtney said, "In really old houses, the pipes themselves might actually be made of lead."

"That's why we advise people to flush their drinking water for a couple of minutes every morning," Courtney said.

Parents checking for possible lead contamination sites shouldn't stop with their home. The houses might be lead free, but the sheds might be contaminated.

Parental occupations too -- such as old auto body repair -- may pose potential hazards. Suspected contaminated clothing should be washed separately from other clothing.

Plus, hobbies shouldn't be overlooked, Courtney noted. Stained-glass making and ammunition-reloading are among other home-based endeavors that could pose potential threats for lead poisoning.

"Lead has a sweet flavor, unfortunately," Courtney said, making lead-containing materials even more tempting to little ones.

People concerned about possible lead exposure should consult their doctor. Information about lead poisoning is available at the county health department.

"We offer blood-lead screening services for children who are seen through our primary-care clinic and for children referred by a physician," Wernsman said.