The
February 24. 2010
Portland Observer Black HistOlV Month
Page 21
Protect Children from Lead
Kids 6 and
younger are
most at risk
• “w
Every year, Oregon children are
exposed to hazardous levels o f lead
in their homes.
The Multnomah County Health
Department estimates that thou­
sands o f local children are at risk o f
lead poisoning due to dangerous
levels o f lead in their homes.
Lead poisoning can damage the
nervous systems o f young children,
leading to speech, language, and
behavior problems, developmental
delays, and damage to hearing and
kidneys. Children age 6 and under
are at higher risk for lead poisoning
because they are more likely to put
lead-containing sources such as
soil, dust, or paint chips in their
mouths.
Lead poisoning in pregnant
women can harm the baby and make
the mother ill. In adults, lead poison­
ing can cause high blood pressure,
nerve disorders, problem s with
memory and concentration, muscle
ft
r ijj*
After it was discovered that paint used on the siding and windows
of this older Michigan home was lead-based, warnings were
written every few feet to alert future contractors who might work
on the house.
pains, problems with the digestive
system, and fertility problems in both
men and women.
Homes or apartments built be­
fore 1978, when the federal govern­
ment outlawed lead-based paint, may
contain lead-based paint. Lead-
based paint is not necessarily a threat
if it is kept in good condition. The
risk o f lead exposure comes when
lead-based paint deteriorates by
cracking, chipping, or peeling.
Soil around the home may also
contain lead from paint that has fallen
off from the outside of the home.
Health Watch
Cholesterol Profiles - Get the re­ Senior Aerobics — A low-impact
sources to help you keep an eye on workout geared specifically toward
your cholesterol and other indica­ seniors. Call 503-449-0783 for cur­
tors o f heart health. Educational rent schedule.
material provided. For more infor­
Osteoporosis Screening — An ul­
mation, call 503-261-6611.
trasound bone density screening
B ereavem ent S upport G roups -- with personalized education; fee $30.
Free, safe confidential group meet­ To schedule an appointment, call
ings for those who have experienced 503-261-6611.
the death o f a loved one offered on
various nights and locations. For M ind Body H ealth Class -- Learn
information and registration, call and practice techniques to help you
improve your mood, health and
503-215-4622.
wellbeing, including effective ways
Powerful Tools For C aregivers—6- to manage difficult emotions and
week educational series designed chronic stress or illness. Registra­
to help family caregivers take care of tion is $70 for Kaiser Permanente
themselves while caring for rela­ members and $95 for nonmembers.
tives or friends with chronic illness. Call 503-286-6816.
Class size is limited, and registration
Red C ross Certification - The Or­
is required. Call 503-413-8018.
egon Trail Chapter Red Cross now
Leg A lert Screening - Check for offers credits to helps profession­
peripheral arterial disease with this als maintain licensing or certifica­
safe, simple screening using ankle tion. For a cumulative list, visit
and arm blood pressure. The fee is pdxinfo.net.
$40. To schedule an appointment,
Tenderfoot C are -- Treat your feet
call 503-251-6137.
with a soak, nail trim, buffing and
Sm oke-Free S u p p o rt G ro u p — massage from a licensed nurse at one
Meets Mondays, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. For of six clinics or at your home. Call 503-
information, call 503-256-4000.
251 -6303 for more information.
M aternity W ater W orkout - Help­
ing new moms regain muscle tone,
strength, and flexibility, all in the
support and freedom o f the water.
Call 503-256-4000 for more informa­
tion.
a
*
B etter B reathers - An asthma edu­
cational support group meets on
the 1st Tuesday o f the month from
1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. at Adventist
Medical Center. For information, call
503-251-6830.
Here in Portland, families are re­
modeling older homes in inner-city
neighborhoods and may be expos­
ing their children to lead without
realizing it. The greatest risk is in
homes built before 1950.
Pregnant women and families with
children six and younger should
take special care to avoid exposure
to lead. The first step is to identify
lead hazards in the home. While
chipping paint, dust, and contami­
nated soil are common lead sources,
other sources include household
plumbing with lead solder that
can leach lead into drinking wa­
ter, painted toys and furniture,
and lead-glazed ceramic ware.
“A blood test is the only way
to find out if a child has lead
poisoning. Not all medical pro­
viders will routinely test chil­
dren for lead, so you may need to
ask specifically about lead test­
ing,” says Lila Wickham, m an­
ager o f Multnomah County En­
vironmental Health.
There are free lead screening
clinics at Multnomah County
Health Department Community
Immunizations, 503-988-3828,
and Josiah Hill III Clinic, 503-
802-7389.
C hildcare centers that are
interested in offering lead test­
ing to groups o f children can
c o n ta c t th e M u ltn o m a h
County Leadline at 503-988-
4000 to arrange on-site testing
clinics.
You can also visit the health
department’s website for tips on
protecting your children from
lead poisoning at leadline.org.
H1N1 Flu
Cases Down
(AP) - H1N1 flu cases are
down, but health officials say the
disease's cumulative impact has
grown to57 millionU.S. illnesses,
257,000 hospitalizations and
11,690 deaths.
The Centers for Disease Con­
trol and Prevention released the
new estimates Friday. They rep­
rese n t cases from the tim e
H 1N 1, also called swine flu, was
first identified in April through
mid-January — the first nine
months o f the pandemic.
The num bers represent in­
creases o f about 4 percent from
the CDC's last estimates, which
covered the first eight months.
New H 1N 1 flu cases peaked in
October but declined since, and
have not been widespread in any
state for more than a month.
Advertisi with diverjty
in
rllc Portland Obsei ver
Call 4)3-288-0033
Black H isto ry M on th events at
REED COLLEGE
www . reed . edu / bhm / index . html
Events are free unless otherwise noted.
Reed Celebrates Black History Month
LECTURE: FEBRUARY 19
7 P.M., VOLLUM LECTURE HALL
M elissa H arris-Lacew ell
Melissa Harris-Lacewell is an associate professor of politics and African American studies at Princeton
University. She is the author of the award-winning book barbershops, Bibles, and BET: Everyday Talk
and Black Political Thought (Princeton, 2004).
ROMP.' CONVERSATION: FEBRUARY 2 0
2 P.M., PSYCHOLOGY IO 5
Im ani W inds
Grammy-nominated Imani Winds has carved out a distinct presence in the classical music world. In
conjunction with Black History Month, the members of Imani Winds will discuss their musical tribute
to iconic African American entertainer Josephine Baker. The conversation, part of ROMP! and moder­
ated by Reed professor of music Mark Burford.
CHAMBER M USIC NORTHWEST & ROMP.' CONCERT: FEBRUARY 2 0
7 3 0 P.M., KAUL AUDITORIUM
Im ani W inds
Imani Winds presents a program influenced by tango and Cuban music. Tickets: $10-48- call
503/294-6400.
LECTURE: FEBRUARY 27
7 P.M ., VOLLUM LECTURE HALL
Peniel E. Joseph
Peniel E. Joseph is a professor of Africans studies at Brandeis University and an expert on the black
radical tradition. pan-Africanism, black social movements, and African American feminism Joseph's
first two books, Waiting ‘Til the Midnight Hour: A Narrative History o f Black Power in America and The
Black Power Movement: Rethinking the Civil RightsBlack Power Era, were published in 2006.
REED COLLEGE
3 2 0 3 SE WOODSTOCK BLVD. | EVENTS LINE: 503/777-7755