Environmental Toxins: Lead Paint Dangers Continue

Those who live in homes painted with lead-based paint must use extra caution when their children are young, crawling on floors and sticking their fingers in their mouths. However, a new study of children found that extra caution shouldn't stop after the children get older. Seven-year-old children with higher levels with high levels of lead in their blood were found to be more likely to suffer IQ deficits and exhibit undesirable personality traits, such as aggression.

Lead Paint Risk Ongoing

No correlation was made between children's lead levels at age two and their behavior at age seven. This suggests that part of the problem at age seven is because of the continued exposure to lead, said Jerilynn Radcliffe, study coauthor. "We can never stop cleaning out houses thoroughly," Radcliffe said. "We can never stop worrying about flaking paint in the old houses so many of us live in." Lead has been implicated in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and in criminal behavior later in life.