Hellobee Boards

My cousin had elevated levels (14) and he is totally fine. They lived in an old farm house. I'd focus on things you can do to remove lead - is it in pipes, bathtubs etc and go from there

Eta you can get lead testing kits at the hardware store if you don't want to wait for the county

I hope that you find the easy fix to the lead issues. I know a lot of people are facing this problem in flint Michigan. Their problem is directly water related.

Increasing calcium and iron and vitamin c helped us. We weren't told to have our house tested as LO was borderline high, we just came back for another test a few months later and it had improved. Also, the margin of error for fingerprick tests is higher than venous draws!

@junebugsmama: Has the county contacted you? Hopefully they will send someone to give you information and answer questions!

The cleaning is meant to limit the dust until the lead is removed. The nurse actually brought me Lead Safe Dust Cleaner to use to trap in the dust.
This is the list she gave me:
1. Before cleaning identified lead areas vacuum with a Hepa vacuum that uses bags. Vacuum floors, rugs, window frames and sills and anywhere dust can accumulate. Vacuum carpets, rugs and upholstered furniture weekly. Steam clean carpets, rugs and upholstered furniture monthly. Vacuum again after steam cleaning.

2. Wet mop and wet dust windowsills, baseboards, floors, and other surfaces weekly with warm water and a general all-purpose cleaner. Baby wipes also work. Wet mopping/dusting once a week.

3. Wash child's face and hands before eating, napping, after playing and before bed. Keep child's nails clean and trimmed. Rinse pacifiers and teething toys every day and each time they fall on the floor. Wash toys and stuffed animals once a week with soap and water.

We have a 1928 apartment and our tub tested very positive for lead with a home test kit. It's common around here, according to our pediatrician, who told us to test. Apparently bathing (and esp gulping bath water) in an old porcelain-glazed tub can def lead to elevated lead levels.

We haven't managed to get our tub resurfaced (around here, a very expensive area, it costs about $350-400, but mostly I need to coordinate a time when we can be out of the house for a few days while the surface cures, as I don't want LO breathing those fumes...) so we have been bathing LO inside a plastic tub within the bathtub. Eventually she'll outgrow the plastic tub, but until then I can drag my feet...

She is 17 months old and her lead levels have tested normal (2, I believe) the two times we have had her checked (we do also have peeling/chipping paint, so we've been keeping an eye on her levels!).

I was also concerned about our pipes, so we have a BRITA filter on our faucet and use it for all of our drinking water.

Good luck. I know worrying about this is so stressful!

My friend passed along this Karibu tub to us and it works great - much deeper and better overall for an older baby than the $$ Boon Naked tub we originally got. There's plenty of room for LO to splash around and enjoy herself at 17 months. I think we can prob make it work until 2 but we'll see.

http://www.karibubaby.com/goodsDetails.action?gid=04f6c950-b252-437f-86e2-4d7ef35c3781&sid=ce8782d6-dcc8-427e-9d45-66bce5ef6bc6&lid=f632ed42-13cf-4df1-8aa0-4940dcdf8bac

In searching for a link just now it looks like this tub has been discontinued! Darn! Looks like there are some on eBay. Not sure if anyone has an equivalent replacement. I love that it collapses due to apartment living, but if space isn't as big an issue for you there must be other good and inexpensive baby tub options.

ETA still have to deal with the challenge of LO standing up all the time - no fun, not gonna lie!