Flint will be “just fine”

By Elisabeth Burnham

After the incident in Flint, Michigan involving lead in the drinking water, many politicians have weighed in on the controversial topic. This truly was a tragedy and demanded to be dealt with. The contaminated water led to health problems and forced people to drink only bottled and filtered water. Obama recently visited the town and gave a speech to the residents. In that speech, he spoke about the obvious dangers lead brings to both children and adults. He also said that in the long run, the people of this town would be “just fine.”

"You should be angry, but channel that anger. You should be hurt, but don't sink into despair. And most of all, do not somehow communicate to our children here in this city that they're going to be saddled with problems for the rest of their lives, because they will not. They'll do just fine."

While this optimism lifts spirits, it is correct? Lead has a highly dangerous effect on people especially children under six. Obama wants to help the residents of this town, but has irreversible damage already been caused? He also states that he and many others of his generation were exposed to lead before it was banned in the 1980’s. He basically states that they all turned out alright so these children will, too.

 

                                                              President Obama drinking filtered Flint water. May 4, 2016.

How hazardous is lead paint and how will this specific case in Flint affect the residents? Will they “do just fine,” or are there lasting health problems that can arise? 

       First, let’s answer the question, how hazardous is lead exposure to health, particularly in children? Dr. Herbert Needleman did a study in 2004 which covers this topic. He found that lead has been known to cause problems in the nervous system, blood pressure, and kidneys. It is also affected both male and female reproduction. Lead poisoning in children can cause abdominal pain, dizziness, and even behavioral problems. He found that children with traces of lead in their teeth had lower IQ scores without even showing symptoms of lead poisoning. While the percentage of lead poisoning has decreased quite a bit in the last 30 or so years, the CDC states 500,000 children have lead in their blood with levels of 5 micrograms per deciliter.

There is quite a bit of evidence to back up lower IQs and behavioral problems in children due to lead exposure. However, will this be the case for the people of Flint? There is no way to know for sure as research on this topic is slightly difficult to achieve. However, some believe that the lead in the water will cause no long term effects. The blood lead levels observed in the Flint children were not high enough to cause serious damage in the long run. They were exposed for a short period of time, so it is believed most will fully recover and have no lasting damage.

Another problem is the fact that many of the people affected by the lead live below the poverty line or in disadvantaged neighborhoods. This may be because preventative measures were taken in richer neighborhoods after the water source changed. In this study, it was found that children living in low income areas had significantly higher lead blood levels than those in less poor neighborhoods. The reason this is such a problem is because if the children were to have lasting effects from the lead, they would not be able to get the treatment they need. Treatment for emotional and behavioral problems lead poisoning can cause include: therapy, psychiatric medication, and social and emotional training. These treatments can often be expensive.

The best treatment for lead poisoning is to stop contamination by drinking clean water. The government has helped with this since the crisis occurred by delivering clean water to the county. Many children will also have access to medical coverage which includes behavioral health services and blood lead level monitoring. It is believed that through this, and other measures taken, the people of Flint will be able to recover from this tragedy.

 Obama says that the people of Flint will eventually recover and be “just fine.” While this may be possible, the dangers of lead are very real and not to be ignored. It will take a lot of help from the community and others to solve all the problems that have risen out of this crisis. The lead levels may not have been high enough to affect adults severely but some scientists say there  is no was blood lead levels for children. If they can get the help they need, they may be able to recover. Through clean water and medical help, the children and adults will be able to bounce back and return to their lives.