Still LMAO@'promoting health in paint-chip eating children'...this is something I have often wondered about myself. Being one of the 'baby boomer' generation and, therefore, one who grew up in a lead-based painted house with a lead-based painted bedroom (and probably a lead-based painted baby mobile over my crib), I've wondered how I could have turned out so normal. Perhaps, I'm not. Perhaps, it's an illusion brought on by lead-based paint dementia...

At any rate, I have a question for all the "let them eat paint!" devotees. Reading about this problem on various EPA and health-related websites, I've learned that,

"Lead may cause a range of health effects, from behavioral problems and learning disabilities, to seizures and death...In 1978, there were nearly three to four million children with elevated blood lead levels in the United States. In the 1990s, that number had dropped to 434,000 kids, and it continues to decline. While we still have a significant challenge, EPA is very proud of how federal, state, tribal, and private sector partners have coordinated efforts with the public to better protect our children."

O.K. So, since the menace has been so significantly reduced and was such a danger, shouldn't we be seeing a DROP in the number of children with behavioral problems and learning disabilities? Why is it our parents managed to raise so many of us without the help of ritalin and without diagnoses of "Attention Deficit Disorder" (ADD), not to mention without any Columbine-like instances that I know of. Is there anyone here who doesn't know AT LEAST one person whose child has been diagnosed with ADD or some similar behavioral ailment? What is this? Lead-withdrawal symptoms? Or maybe we, the baby boomers had our genes altered by sleeping in lead-filled rooms and now our children are paying the price? (Or maybe there's a trend to make scientific excuses for bratty, self-centered or even NORMAL kid behavior that parents don't want to deal with using the palm of their hand? But then, THAT'S another pseudo-scientific rant for another day.)

Don't get me wrong. I agree with Maria that lead can be a danger if used irresponsibly. But come on! We survived it (with far fewer allergy problems than we see today) AND we did so while managing to keep our attention on our studies long enough to prevent mom and dad from paddling our little behinds. Rush us off to a psychologist...HA!!