Lead Paint- paint over it or get it cleared out?

[Anonymous]

From what I understand, you need to be careful about older trim with gloss paint, because people tend to paint walls more frequently, but may leave the trim. So walls are very encapsulated, but lead paint on trim may be exposed. Kids will lick/chew on the lead paint because it has a sweet taste, so painting over the trim actually helps a lot because the new paint takes away the taste. If you are particularly worried, you could replace the windows/trim in the kids room.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Health advisors are completely okay with pairing over. The above PP doesn't really know what s/he is talking about. Lead paint is everywhere, just make sure your kid isn't gnawing on the door jamb.

I guess the CDC doesn't know what they are talking about either:

Lead poisoning is entirely prevent- able. However, nearly 1 million children living in the United States have blood lead levels high enough to impair their ability to think, concentrate, and learn.5 Lead is highly toxic and affects virtually every system of the body. It can damage a child's kidneys and central nervous system and cause anemia. At very high levels, lead can cause coma, convul- sions, and death. Even low levels of lead are harmful. Levels as low as 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood (?g/dL) are associated with decreased intelligence, behavior problems, reduced physical stature and growth, and impaired hearing (see Figure 3).1,2 A child is estimated to lose 2 IQ points for each 10 ?g/dL increase in blood lead level.4 One study suggests that lead exposure may be associated with juvenile delinquent behavior.20 Lead toxicity has been well-established, with evidence of harmful effects found in children whose blood lead levels exceed 10 ?g/dL.3,4,21

Where??? That was not the original question

NP here but I don't see how what you posted contradicts anything that the pp said. Painting over lead painted surfaces is generally fine, as long as it is intact and is not disturbed. If the paint starts to flake off, if you are doing construction, or its on a window, etc, that can create lead dust or chips that can be ingested or inhaled. And yes, if that happens, as the cdc citation you quote above states, it is indeed dangerous. But you don't need to go into an old house and automatically strip every surface with lead paint necessarily. That in and of itself an create dangerous lead dust.

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/

Yes, I can read and I understand the information posted very well. The issue was this person unnecessarily claiming that "the poster doesn't know what they are talking about." The response to the OP simply said that there are health risks posed by exposure to lead paint and to be extra cautious if children are in the home. That statement was supported by the CDC.

What you've posted has absolutely nothing to do with the merits of painting over lead paint or not.

Really?

Yes, really. OP posed the question, "Lead paint is an issue. How best do I deal with it?
CDC PP's answer to that question was, "LEAD PAINT IS AN ISSUE! THE CDC SAYS SO!"
Totally not helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From what I understand, you need to be careful about older trim with gloss paint, because people tend to paint walls more frequently, but may leave the trim. So walls are very encapsulated, but lead paint on trim may be exposed. Kids will lick/chew on the lead paint because it has a sweet taste, so painting over the trim actually helps a lot because the new paint takes away the taste. If you are particularly worried, you could replace the windows/trim in the kids room.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Health advisors are completely okay with pairing over. The above PP doesn't really know what s/he is talking about. Lead paint is everywhere, just make sure your kid isn't gnawing on the door jamb.

I guess the CDC doesn't know what they are talking about either:

Lead poisoning is entirely prevent- able. However, nearly 1 million children living in the United States have blood lead levels high enough to impair their ability to think, concentrate, and learn.5 Lead is highly toxic and affects virtually every system of the body. It can damage a child's kidneys and central nervous system and cause anemia. At very high levels, lead can cause coma, convul- sions, and death. Even low levels of lead are harmful. Levels as low as 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood (?g/dL) are associated with decreased intelligence, behavior problems, reduced physical stature and growth, and impaired hearing (see Figure 3).1,2 A child is estimated to lose 2 IQ points for each 10 ?g/dL increase in blood lead level.4 One study suggests that lead exposure may be associated with juvenile delinquent behavior.20 Lead toxicity has been well-established, with evidence of harmful effects found in children whose blood lead levels exceed 10 ?g/dL.3,4,21

NP here but I don't see how what you posted contradicts anything that the pp said. Painting over lead painted surfaces is generally fine, as long as it is intact and is not disturbed. If the paint starts to flake off, if you are doing construction, or its on a window, etc, that can create lead dust or chips that can be ingested or inhaled. And yes, if that happens, as the cdc citation you quote above states, it is indeed dangerous. But you don't need to go into an old house and automatically strip every surface with lead paint necessarily. That in and of itself an create dangerous lead dust.

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/

Yes, I can read and I understand the information posted very well. The issue was this person unnecessarily claiming that "the poster doesn't know what they are talking about." The response to the OP simply said that there are health risks posed by exposure to lead paint and to be extra cautious if children are in the home. That statement was supported by the CDC.

What you've posted has absolutely nothing to do with the merits of painting over lead paint or not.

Really?

Yes, really. OP posed the question, "Lead paint is an issue. How best do I deal with it?
CDC PP's answer to that question was, "LEAD PAINT IS AN ISSUE! THE CDC SAYS SO!"
Totally not helpful.

You need to go back and read the original question then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We removed all our trim before our child was born and cleaned very well (had paper on the floors and Hepa filter). Not that much dust but even DIY replacing all that trim was expensive.

+1

[Anonymous]

Has anyone actually ever seen a neurotypical kid chewing on a window sil? My children have never licked a wall or a door jamb. I'm surprised how normal some pp's make that sound.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone actually ever seen a neurotypical kid chewing on a window sil? My children have never licked a wall or a door jamb. I'm surprised how normal some pp's make that sound.

+1 raised two NT children in an 1870s row house. Painted over everything. Blood tests on children were always below average for lead. No one liked the walls or chewed on the trim except for one puppy.

[Anonymous]

Liked = licked

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone actually ever seen a neurotypical kid chewing on a window sil? My children have never licked a wall or a door jamb. I'm surprised how normal some pp's make that sound.

+1 raised two NT children in an 1870s row house. Painted over everything. Blood tests on children were always below average for lead. No one liked the walls or chewed on the trim except for one puppy.

It's also dust and paint chips that get on their hands. If you don't open old windows and have the rest of the paint in good condition you are probably ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From what I understand, you need to be careful about older trim with gloss paint, because people tend to paint walls more frequently, but may leave the trim. So walls are very encapsulated, but lead paint on trim may be exposed. Kids will lick/chew on the lead paint because it has a sweet taste, so painting over the trim actually helps a lot because the new paint takes away the taste. If you are particularly worried, you could replace the windows/trim in the kids room.

A lot of times walls were never even painted with lead paint, or have been replaced already, unlike trim. We had our house tested for lead and it was only in the trim.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We removed all our trim before our child was born and cleaned very well (had paper on the floors and Hepa filter). Not that much dust but even DIY replacing all that trim was expensive.

+1

I think completely prying up and replacing trim that is in good condition is probably safer than more extensive renovations like sanding or removing deteriorated paint. A lot of people want to preserve original woodwork in old houses so the dust gets everywhere. This is what happened to my relative's kid, who now has delays

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From what I understand, you need to be careful about older trim with gloss paint, because people tend to paint walls more frequently, but may leave the trim. So walls are very encapsulated, but lead paint on trim may be exposed. Kids will lick/chew on the lead paint because it has a sweet taste, so painting over the trim actually helps a lot because the new paint takes away the taste. If you are particularly worried, you could replace the windows/trim in the kids room.

A lot of times walls were never even painted with lead paint, or have been replaced already, unlike trim. We had our house tested for lead and it was only in the trim.

Did you test it yourself with a kit or did you hire someone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From what I understand, you need to be careful about older trim with gloss paint, because people tend to paint walls more frequently, but may leave the trim. So walls are very encapsulated, but lead paint on trim may be exposed. Kids will lick/chew on the lead paint because it has a sweet taste, so painting over the trim actually helps a lot because the new paint takes away the taste. If you are particularly worried, you could replace the windows/trim in the kids room.

A lot of times walls were never even painted with lead paint, or have been replaced already, unlike trim. We had our house tested for lead and it was only in the trim.

Did you test it yourself with a kit or did you hire someone?

Hired someone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Depends on where it is. Lead paint painted over on a stable surface poses no real health threat. But if you are talking about old wood windows, for example, that you intend to use, the friction can create lead dust that can be inhaled. I would highly recommend remediating any lead painted windows if you want to be able to open and shut them.

And if you are doing construction on any potentially lead painted surfaces, you need to take extra precautions.

Also keep in mind that if you have exterior surfaces painted with lead based paint it has likely gotten into the soil so avoid planting edible plants directly in the soil or letting children play in bare soil.

Great post. You could end the thread here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone actually ever seen a neurotypical kid chewing on a window sil? My children have never licked a wall or a door jamb. I'm surprised how normal some pp's make that sound.

The operation of the door or window creates dust, which then moves around the house and gets on everything including toys, food. If you do not have decades-old painted wooden windows and sashes, go with a realtor and tour some rowhouse fixer-uppers in DC neighborhoods and you will understand.

Also, most kids, including "neurotypical" ones, go through a phase during the crawling months when they experiment by putting things in their mouth that they find on the floor. I imagine your babies did that at some point. During this time, babies may find and eat paint chips that have fallen from windowsills or door frames.

The main reason why lead poisoning has a disproportionate impact on low income families and minorities is not that their kids are weird and like to lick windowsills. It is the lack of financial ability or understanding to remediate. For example, PP above that "replaced all trim before baby was born", that's very Type-A middle class behavior, and they could afford it. Not criticizing BTW, I'd do the same! Just saying that a lot of lower income families, especially in rental housing, might not be able to accomplish this or might be unaware of the risk.