I've been so worried about possible lead in our blinds, our toys from China, plastic bowls, you name it. Our house was built in 1975, and that predates the lead ban in paint in 1978, but it had been completely redone for the most part, and I thought it was lead free.
My husband and I were starting to set up a play area in the basement, and began moving stuff around. He looked over at an old, chipped, painted closet door and said, "I've always wondered about that." I had never even noticed it much, being in the corner of our basement. I had some Homax tests from testing toys and writing the review from the last post. So I tested it, and it came back positive, immediately. Now this alone is troubling, but not the end of the world. It means no play area down there for the foreseeable future, but the risk is manageable. Then I head upstairs to nurse my baby. I notice with new, skeptical eyes the antique doors on all of our bedrooms. They look ancient, are weather beaten barn wood, and are finished black. I tested them, and they are all positive, with immediate, bright fuchsia results. Now these are doors we open and close everyday-- and my toddler sucks her fingers regularly. We are seriously worried and will take both of our girls in for testing as soon as we can. And we will be calling the Vermont Department of Health, getting an inspection, and starting to methodically remove the doors, the dust, and clean our house top to bottom. What fun.
Non-Toxic Kids recommends: Really, truly, check out your homes. Buy the kits. Look skeptically at antiques, blinds, doors, everything. The effects of even low doses of lead can be permanent and severe, and are frightening. One kid effected with lead poisoning is too many.
