While the developed nations of the world have long ago abandoned practices that increase lead exposure such as lead based paint and gasoline use but the worlds developing nations have not been so lucky. Leadpoison.net sights the following as the most common causes for lead exposure worldwide
1. gasoline additives
2. food can soldering;
3. lead-based paints;
4. ceramic glazes;
5. drinking water systems; and
6. cosmetic and folk remedies.
They also sight the WHOs finding that "estimates that 15-18 million children in developing countries are suffering from permanent brain damage due to lead poisoning. Hundreds of millions of children and pregnant women in practically all the developing countries are exposed to elevated levels of lead." Many of those same developing countries are listed by by US Citizenship and Immigration Services as the top documented and undocumented immigrants such as India, Mexico, Central America, and China among other. The future of these newly immigrated children is thus received another blow to an already difficult transition both linguistically and culturally, and that is the brain damage and future health problems associated with lead. The cost to health care and public education systems could be significant and enough to encourage U.S. officials to encourage lead poison prevention abroad if the effects on the children aren't already enough.
Read more by cutting and pasting links below:
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/events/NLPPW/leadweek2008.htm#posters
http://www.leadpoison.net/about-lead.htm
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