Home Water Filters: Reducing Risk to Your Child
Significant exposure to lead can cause some of the most severe and even fatal health effects possible, besides damage from radioactive or nuclear chemicals.
Without doubt, most parents would agree that they would like to protect their children from the damaging effects of lead exposure and ingestion. The seemingly safe tap water of most homes in the United States contains lead. When we drink this water untreated, we are consistently allowing lead to poison the inner workings of our bodies.
Unequivically, we all know that lead is dangerous and that we should make efforts to avoid it, but what exactly is so very dangerous about lead? It is only a naturally occurring metal, after all, and iron--one more naturally occurring metal--is supposed to be good for the body. Lead, however, while dangerous for all people, leads to especially damaging health and mental breakdowns in babies and young children.
General Health Effects of Lead
Even relatively low-level exposure to lead can cause some significant health breakdowns. Continued exposure to lead
can also affect nervous system functioning, resulting in impairment of mental functioning, difficulty in memory and
concentration, and inability to sleep. A lifetime of exposure to lead can adversely affect kidney functioning.
Effects of Lead Poisoning on Babies and Young Children
Concerning the impact of lead poisoning on
children, the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency recently stated, "Childhood lead poisoning remains a primary
environmental health problem in the U.S."
Ingestion of lead can result in a host of birth defects and developmental problems for growing babies in pregnant women. The ingestion of lead is notably harmful to babies during the critical third trimester of pregnancy. The long-term effects of exposure to lead for young children include learning disabilities, hyperactivity, depressed growth, hearing impairments, and even brain damage.
What You Can Do
Firstly, it is mandatory to keep your home clean and dust-free because much of your child's exposure to lead comes
from dirt and dust on the floor. It is also incredibly important to have your child tested for lead poisoning if you suspect
or notice any of the symptoms. With early treatment, many of these complications can be quickly alleviated.
It is also without doubt vital to begin, or continue using, a home water filtration system. Every parent wants to give her children every opportunity possible to succeed; taking a few minutes to provide clean, healthy water to drink is one of the best and easiest ways to bring about this goal.
Vanessa Lausch is a writer for http://www.historyofwaterfilters.com/ - online source for water information.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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