Worried about Tai

[aubreym]

The subject says it all.  I got a call from Dr. Treece this morning.  I was napping with Tai but got a message.  He said, "I got the results from Tai's blood tests and there's some things we need to talk about."  Yeah, those words will strike fear in a mom's heart.  Needless to say I called him back right away.  Apparently Tai's lead level is 9.  That's one point short of where some brain development problems might start.  It's not as high as it could be (for example, according to Tom the CDC says cities EPA often don't get involved unless the child's lead level is 15).  But most babies Tai's age have levels of like 1 or something low.

I haven't caught Tai eating paint chips.  All I can think is that he's been exposed from the construction we've been doing on the house.  I worried that it's in my body, that I've been poisoning him through my breast-milk.  My aunt told me all along that we shouldn't do the construction while I was pregnant and Tai was an infant. But Tom swore that it was fine, his parents did it and his brothers are fine.  I didn't really believe him but I didn't have a choice.  I don't have access to a ton of money to just finish the house myself. So I went along.  And now Tai might be the worse for it.  Tom says we'll just paint over the whole house and that will solve the problems.  I'd rather just be done with the construction.

Dr. Treece is proscribing Tai vitamin and iron supplements, since he's also mildly anemic.  Hopefully the iron will bind to the lead and filter it out or something like that.  Oddly enough I haven't done any research yet myself.  I'm just tired.  Tomorrow.  Until then I'll try not to worry - what's done is done.

Comments

[janisfan.livejournal.com]

I have another friend who just found out her 8 month olds have a 9 lead. I looked up some info online for you.

http://www.sfdph.org/dph/files/reports/StudiesData/98ChildHealth/lead.pdf = SF DPH report on children's lead levels. You're not the only one.

http://www.health.state.ny.us/environmental/lead/leadbroc.htm = what homeowneers need to know about removing lead paint

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/CLPPB/Pages/default.aspx = CA DPH Lead Poisoning Prevention branch

http://coeh.berkeley.edu/ucpehsu/services.htm = UCSF Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit does evaluation and consultation

[aubreym.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for these great links! I read a lot of them last night, and felt like they helped.

At least we caught this early-ish.

[twirlgrrl.livejournal.com]

We already talked about this, but ((((((((AUBREY))))))))

[aubreym.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Hugs are always welcome.