|
 LEAD
POISONING’S IMPACT ON EDUCATION OF MICHIGAN CHILDREN:
2002
Michigan Lead Safe Partnership, June 2003
Every year thousands of Michigan children learn less because of lead
poisoning. Youngsters who are lead poisoned prior to school entry may
suffer from permanent brain damage. This leads to poorer performance
on math and reading tests and increased risk of aggressive behavior,
greater delinquency and higher school dropout rates.
Our schools and all of Michigan society pay a high price for this
totally preventable environmental health disease. Children poisoned
over the next few decades will continue to under perform unless
Michigan acts to end this continuing travesty. And all Michiganians
are burdened by the economic cost of childhood lead poisoning
estimated to be nearly $1 billion each year.
Childhood Lead Poisoning in Michigan:
Every day in 2002 an
average of 11 children under age six were found to be lead poisoned:
i.e., blood lead levels of 10 micrograms per deciliter (ug/dL) or
greater.1 Despite declining childhood lead poisoning rates
in recent years:2
• Nearly 4100 children were poisoned in 2002,1 including as many as
twenty percent in some older neighborhoods.3
• An additional 18,653 were found to have potentially damaging blood
lead levels of 5 to 9 ug/dL.4
• Only 11 percent of children under age six were tested for lead
poisoning.1
Consequences for Individual Children:
• Reduced Intellectual Functioning: “Of primary importance is that
children’s intellectual functioning at three to five years of age is
inversely associated with blood lead concentrations, even when their
peak concentrations remain below the CDC and WHO level of concern.”5
• Lowered Intelligence Quotient: Lead poisoning has a devastating
impact on the IQ of children. There is an average of 5.5 or more IQ
point reduction for each 10 ug/dl increase in blood lead level.6
• Diminished Capacity to Learn: “…children who have lead poisoned
brains have a vastly diminished capacity to learn. A diminished
capacity not from lack of effort, or lack of instruction, but simply
because the tissues in the brain lack the physiological ability to
perform the chemically based process necessary for learning.”7
• Increased Educational Deficits: Children with even very low blood
lead levels, below current CDC Guidelines, show poorer performance on
tests of arithmetic skills, reading skills, nonverbal reasoning and
short term memory.8
• Increased Antisocial Behavior: Lead exposure is linked to antisocial
behavior in children and adolescents. “Females and males were equally
likely to self-report antisocial/delinquent behavior events (including
violence against others), have police contact, appear in court, be
adjudicated delinquent and sentenced to institutional placement.”9
• Higher Drop Out Rates: Early lead exposure is associated with a
sevenfold increase in risk of failing to graduate from high school and
six-fold increase in a student's having a reading disability.10
• Possible Permanent Damage: It is very difficult to reverse the
impacts of lead poisoning. While it may be possible to rehabilitate
the brain to partially reverse the damage caused by lead poisoning,
more often than not this rehabilitation is not available to most
children who are lead poisoned. Thus a large population of children is
permanently damaged by this completely preventable cause of brain
injury.11
Consequences for Schools:
• Lowered MEAP Scores: School districts in Michigan where there
are high proportions of lead poisoned children are also likely to be
those with lower MEAP scores for elementary school children.12
• Inadequate AYP: Those Grand Rapids elementary schools not achieving
adequate yearly progress during school year 2001-02, tended to be in
those attendance zones where more lead poisoned children resided.12
• Increased Number of Failing Schools: “…exposure to environmental
lead creates the conditions of “failing schools.” The fact that most
“failing schools” are in low income neighborhoods where children live
in housing known to be laced with a brain damaging neurotoxin is not
just a coincidence.”7
• Rating of Students’ Behaviors: “Assessment of behavior on teachers’
rating scales identified increased distractability, impulsivity,
nonpersistence, inability to follow sequences of directions, and
inappropriate approach to problems as hallmarks of lead exposure.”13
• Increased Need for Special Education: Although a reduction of 4-5 IQ
points is not exceedingly serious in a lead affected child, that IQ
reduction in a population indicates 50 percent more children with
subnormal intelligence.14 This dramatically increases the
number of children needing special education.
Consequences for Michigan’s Economy:
The total annual
economic cost of childhood lead poisoning in Michigan could be some $1
billion (based on Michigan’s portion of national economic cost
estimates, including costs of direct health care, rehabilitation,
lower wages and diminished earnings; but not including costs of pain,
deterioration of life or emotional suffering). 15
CONCLUSION:
Lead poisoning
presents a clear and present danger to Michigan’s children; and it
contributes to lower MEAP scores during elementary school years. The
cost to future generations in terms of lost potential, to
underperforming schools and other costs to the State can no longer be
ignored. The time to act is now.
References
1. Childhood Lead Poisoning Facts-2002, Michigan Department of
Community Health (MDCH), 2003. [Data adapted]
2. Blood Lead Testing in Michigan. 1994-2002 [Graph], MDCH, 2003
3. Unpublished 2002 Datafile, Kent County Health Department
4. Scott R, MDCH, Lansing Michigan, E-mail, May 30, 2003.
5. “Cognitive Impairment in Children with Blood Lead Concentrations
below 10 ug per Deciliter.” Canfield RL et al. New England Journal of
Medicine. April, 2003: 348, 1517-26
6. Press Release, Pediatric Academic Societies. April 2001
7. A Strange Ignorance. Mike Martin. Arizona School Boards
Association. Phoenix, AZ 2002.
8. “Cognitive Deficits Associated with Blood Lead Concentrations <10
ug/dl in U.S. Children and Adolescents.” Lanphear BP et al. Public
Health Reports. Nov/Dec 2000; 115: 521-529
9. “Early exposure to lead and juvenile delinquency.” Dietrich KN et
al. Neurotoxicology and Teratology. 2001; 23: 511-518.
10. “Childhood Exposure to Lead: A Common Cause of School Failure.”
Needleman HL. Phi Delta Kappan. Sept. 1992
11. Personal Communication. Holtrop T. Children’s Hospital of
Michigan, Detroit, Michigan, December 10, 2002.
12. Personal Communication. Thompson L. Wayne State University ,
Detroit, Michigan, May 31, 2003
13. “Behavioral Effects of Lead: Commonalities between Experimental
and Epidemiologic Data.” Rice CR. Environmental Health Perspectives.
104, Supplement 2, April 1996 [Abstract].
14. “Risk Assessment of the Developmental Neurotoxicity of Lead.”
Davis JM. NeuroToxicology. 1990; 11:285-292.
15. “Environmental Pollutants and Disease in American Children:
Estimates of Morbidity, Mortality, and Costs for Lead Poisoning,
Asthma, Cancer, and Developmental Disabilities.” Landrigan PJ et al.
Environmental Health Perspectives. July 2002: 110:721-72812 [Data
Adapted: $43.4 Billion U.S. × 20,200 EBLL in MI ÷ 890,000 EBLL in U.S.
= $0.985 Billion (MI)]
back to the top
CHILDHOOD LEAD
POISONING IN MICHIGAN: 2001
Michigan Lead Safe Partnership
Lead poisoning is the number one environmental threat for thousands of
Michigan children and their families and it adversely affects their
communities and the State of Michigan.
While entirely preventable, lead poisoning results in permanent brain
damage in young children. Children are at highest risk because of
lead’s neurotoxic effects, which reduce intelligence and attention
span and cause learning difficulties and behavior problems.1
And total economic costs for Michigan’s lead poisoned children may be
more than $1 billion each year.
CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND WELL BEING
Every day in Michigan in 2001, on average:
• 13 children under age six were found to be lead poisoned. (i.e., 10
ug/dl or greater)2
• if there had been complete testing, 82 children under age six may
have been found to be lead poisoned.3
During 2001:
• as many as twenty percent of Michigan’s children under age six were
lead poisoned in some older neighborhoods.4
• over 4700 Michigan children were lead poisoned and an additional
20,000 were found to have potentially damaging blood lead levels of 5
to 9 ug/dl.5
• only 11 percent of Michigan’s children under age six were tested for
lead poisoning.6
• only 25 percent of Medicaid eligible children under age 6 were
tested,7 despite higher risk of lead poisoning and despite
federal mandates requiring 100 percent testing.
LEAD POISONING CONSEQUENCES TO THE COMMUNITY ARE HIGH
Children’s Education
• Intelligence Quotient: Lead poisoning has a devastating impact on
the IQ of children. There is an average of 5.5 or more IQ point
reduction for each 10 ug/dl increase in blood lead level.8
• Educational Deficits: Children with even very low blood lead levels,
below current CDC Guidelines, show poorer performance on tests of
arithmetic skills, reading skills, nonverbal reasoning and short term
memory. 9
High Drop Out Rates: “Early lead exposure is associated with a
sevenfold increase in risk of failing to graduate from high school and
six-fold increase in a student’s having a reading disability.”10
• Possible Permanent Damage: It is very difficult to reverse the
impacts of lead poisoning. While it may be possible to rehabilitate
the brain to partially to reverse the damage caused by lead poisoning,
more often than not, this rehabilitation is not available to children
who are lead poisoned. Thus a large population of children is
permanently damaged by this completely preventable cause of brain
injury.11
 Behavior: Adolescent boys with elevated blood lead levels are more
likely to engage in acts of bullying, vandalism, arson, shoplifting
and other delinquent behaviors.12
Economics: The total annual economic costs of childhood lead poisoning
in Michigan could be some $1.4 billion (based on Michigan’s portion of
national economic cost estimates). Total annual economic costs of lead
poisoning in American children are estimated to be $43.4 billion
including costs of direct health care, rehabilitation, lower wages and
diminished earnings; but not including costs of pain, deterioration of
life or emotional suffering.13 Our state’s annual special
education costs for the 50 or so severely lead poisoned children, who
require chelation therapy each year, are approximately $10 million.14
HOUSING
The primary sources of childhood lead poisoning exposures are
deteriorated lead paint, soil, and dust in contaminated older housing.15
Much of Michigan’s older, and deteriorating, housing stock presents
significant lead hazards to our children. 1,104,913 housing units,
that is twenty six percent of the 4,234,279 homes in the state16,
have significant lead hazards if national rates 17 also
apply here.*
CONCLUSION
Lead poisoning presents a clear and present danger to Michigan’s
children. The cost to future generations in terms of lost potential
and the cost to the State can no longer be ignored. The time to act is
now.
*Note: National data suggest that there could be significant lead
hazards in 68 % of Michigan housing units built before 1940, 43 %
built from 1940 to 1959, 8 % built from 1960 to 1979 and 3% built from
1980 to 1998. (16 and 17) [Dates slightly skewed
from 1978 and 1979].
REFERENCES
1. “Protecting Children From Lead Poisoning And Building Healthy
Communities.” Ryan D et al. American Journal of Public Health. June
1999; 89: 822-824
2 and 6. Childhood Lead Poisoning Facts [2001], Michigan Department of
Community Health (MDCH), 2002. [Data adapted]
3. Scott R, E-mail, MDCH, Lansing Michigan, April 14, 2002 [Data
adapted]
4. Unpublished 2001 Datafile, Kent County Health Department
5. Childhood Lead Poisoning Information Sheet, Including Blood Lead
Levels 5 to 9 ug/dl [2001], MDCH, August 2002 [Data adapted]
7. 2001 Annual Report on Blood Lead Levels in Michigan, Michigan State
University, Michigan Department of Consumer and Industry Services and
MDCH, Lansing, Michigan, 2002.
8. Press Release, Pediatric Academic Societies. April 2001
9. Cognitive Deficits Associated with Blood Lead Concentrations <10 ug/dl
in U.S. Children and Adolescents.” Lanphear BP et al. Public Health
Reports. Nov/Dec 2000; 115: 521-529
10. “Childhood Exposure to Lead: A Common Cause of School Failure.”
Needleman HL. Phi Delta Kappan. September 1992
11. Personal Communication. Holtrop T. Childrens Hospital of Michigan,
Detroit, Michigan, December 10, 2002
12. Bone Lead Levels and Delinquent Behavior Needleman HL. Journal of
the American Medical Association, February 7, 1996, 363-369
13.”Environmental Pollutants and Disease in American Children:
Estimates of Morbidity, Mortality, and Costs for Lead Poisoning,
Asthma, Cancer, and Developmental Disabilities.” Landrigan PJ et al.
Environmental Health Perspectives. July 2002: 110:721-72812.
14. Did You Know? Fact Sheet. Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention
Program, MDCH. February 13, 2002.
15. “Blood Lead Levels in Young Children---United States and Selected
States, 1996—1999” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention, December 22. 2000.
16. Selected Housing Characteristics 2000: Michigan, Table DP-4. U.S.
Census Bureau, 2001
17. “The Prevalence of Lead-Based Paint Hazards In U.S. Housing.”
Jacobs DE et al. Environmental Health Perspectives 110, A599-A606.
[Data adapted]
back to the top
|