Texas Accident & Injury News
Young children are especially susceptible to health complications from lead poisoning.
Mustard Seed Academy Tests Positive for Lead Contamination
According to a San Antonio Express-News report, Mustard Seed Academy tested positive for lead contamination, sparking frustration from parents.
Mustard Seed Academy was informed by a parent on February 6th that an enrolled child tested positive for elevated levels of lead, prompting the school to test their facilities. On March 11th, Mustard Seed Academy informed parents that inspectors confirmed the presence of lead-based paint and lead dust throughout the building. Of the 47 individual paint readings from randomly selected interior and exterior surfaces, 26 tested positive for lead-based paint at or above 1 milligram per square centimeter, according to the report. Parents expressed frustration with them for waiting over 3 weeks to report the presence of lead, as the child care center had received the initial test results on February 18th.
In the letter to the parents, Mustard Seed Academy said they waited until they received supplementary reports on March 11th to get a clearer representation of what they were facing at the school. In the meantime, the school cleaned its facilities with TSP to reduce the lead in the building and contracted TLI Environmental Services during spring break to reduce the children’s risk. Former Mustard Seed Academy parent Kelly Calvillo told San Antonio Express-News that she would have removed her child sooner had she been informed of the risk. Another parent, Lauren Chittenden, said the school’s actions removed the parents’ ability to make an informed decision for their children.
Did You Know?
According to the CDC, children under 6 are at the greatest risk for health problems from lead exposure.
Child Lead Poisoning Risks in San Antonio: What You Need to Know
According to a 2017 census report from the city government, slightly less than 42% of houses across San Antonio were built before 1978, the year lead paint was federally banned.
If you live in an old home or your child attends school or daycare in an old building, they could be at risk for lead poisoning.
How Are Children Exposed to Lead?
According to the CDC, children are most commonly exposed to lead in the following ways:
- Lead paint chipping or wearing out in old houses/buildings,
- Soil near old houses/buildings and busy streets,
- Contaminated drinking water,
- Food, cosmetics, traditional medicines, and baby products/toys imported from other countries,
- Jobs/hobbies of parents or caregivers that involve working with lead.
Small children are more at-risk of exposure because they regularly put their hands and toys in their mouths. Eating paint chips with lead and breathing lead dust are the most common reasons why small children get lead poisoning.
How to Prevent Lead Exposure
Fortunately, lead poisoning is preventable. To reduce their child’s risk, parents can:
- Avoid imported baby products and foods.
- Test homes built before 1978 for lead contamination.
- Test drinking water.
- Avoid preparing baby food in antique dishes and containers that may contain lead coatings.
- Avoid giving a small child traditional medicines and cosmetics that contain lead (such as azarcon, greta, and pay-loo-ah or kohl and sindoor).
In general, parents can reduce their child’s risk by ensuring that their child has a healthy diet and regularly cleans hands and toys.
How to Tell If Your Child Has Lead Poisoning
The effects of lead poisoning are catastrophic to young children but can be challenging to spot. According to the Mayo Clinic, parents should look out for:
- Developmental delay
- Learning difficulties
- Irritability
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Sluggishness and fatigue
- Abdominal pain
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Hearing loss
- Seizures
- Eating things, such as paint chips, that aren’t food (pica)
If your child exhibits any of these symptoms, talk to your pediatrician about getting a blood test ASAP. Treatment is available, but it’s critical that you act quickly to avoid more extreme health effects.
Child Lead Poisoning in San Antonio? Call Shaw!
If your child suffered lead poisoning after being exposed at a daycare or preschool or due to an unsafe product, you could be entitled to compensation for things like:
- Ambulance Costs,
- ER Treatment,
- Medical Bills,
- Pain and Suffering,
- Missed Work,
- Disability,
- Loss of Earning Capacity,
- And More.
We’ll help you find out if you have a case for free.
Call Shaw at 800-862-1260 today to schedule your free case evaluation with an experienced child injury attorney in San Antonio. There are no fees and no obligations to hire the firm attached, just the expert legal advice you need. Carabin Shaw has been a trusted name in San Antonio for over 32 years because we put our clients first.
We look forward to serving you.