For those new to this website:
Tamara Rubin is a multiple-federal-award-winning independent advocate for childhood Lead poisoning prevention and consumer goods safety, and a documentary filmmaker. She is also a mother of Lead-poisoned children (two of her sons were acutely Lead-poisoned in 2005). Since 2009, Tamara has been using XRF technology (a scientific method used by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) to test consumer goods for toxicants (specifically heavy metals — including Lead, Cadmium, Mercury, Antimony, and Arsenic). All test results reported on this website are science-based, accurate, and replicable. Items are tested multiple times to confirm the test results for each component tested. Tamara’s work was featured in Consumer Reports Magazine in February of 2023 (March 2023 print edition).
Originally published here: January 6, 2017
Updated: June 17, 2021
Below is an post I originally wrote and shared in March of 2015. It’s a piece I have shared often and I am re-sharing now, so those who are new to the site and this work have context for my story as well as the benefit of the information provided. Thanks for reading, friends! — Tamara
People are ALWAYS asking me,“How quickly did your child’s level go down?” or “How quickly can I expect my child’s level to go down?”
There are so many factors at play (in terms of how quickly you can expect your child’s level to go down) that it is a difficult question to answer.
However, I just was going through (my husband’s) e-mails looking for some information to quickly share with a journalist asking for specifics about our kids’ levels history, and I found the following e-mails from 2007 that discuss Avi’s blood Lead level and specifically show how quickly it went down (then back up, then back down again!).
Please feel free to ask questions in the comments on this post and I will do my best to answer them. Click on the image of the e-mail to see slightly larger.
Blood Lead Tests of my son Avi from 2005
- November 4, 2005 (Avi): BLL 16.0
- December 7, 2005 (Avi): BLL 14.0
Blood Lead Tests of my son Avi from 2006
- January 3, 2006 (Avi): BLL 12.0
- April 3, 2006 (Avi): BLL 15.0
- April 24, 2006 (Avi): BLL 11.0
- May 10, 2006 (Avi): BLL 12.0
- June 14, 2006 (Avi): BLL 9.0
- July 14, 2006 (Avi): BLL 9.0
- August 23, 2006 (Avi): BLL 6.0
- October 19, 2006 (Avi): BLL 6.0
- November 30, 2006 (Avi): BLL 6.0
Blood Lead Tests of my kids from 2007
- January 31, 2007 (Avi): BLL 5.0
- March 12, 2007 (Avi): BLL 4.0
My children’s 2014 blood Lead level test results:
- 2014: Avi, BLL 0.8 (age 10)
- 2014: Charlie, BLL 0.4 (age 6)
Sincerely,
Tamara Rubin
Mother of Lead-poisoned children
#LeadSafeMama
Tamara,
Do blood lead levels need to be drawn from a vein versus finger prick to be accurate?
Yes, drawn from a vein. Finger pricks are not accurate
Hi Tamara, my 7 months old baby tested 0.02 umol/L, c. 0.47 mg/dL. We live in London, so lots of pollution. What level would indicate an ongoing exposure (from lead based paint for example), as opposed to environmental trace elements (unavoidable exposure per se, air pollution etc)? Should pre crawling baby, breastfed, have nil level? Is that possible? Also, what is the expected trajectory from jnfant to toddler in terms of the blood lead level increase? Thank you very much. Justyna
Hi Justyna, sorry to jump on and ask a question. Did you have your own blood lead level tested? I’ve just had a test result of 4.0 ug/dL for myself. I have a four month old, and three and six year olds. I’m concerned their levels will be high given mine is. Lead is transferred into breast milk at about the same as plasma levels. So unfortunately breastfed babies will be getting lead through their milk.
All the best, Clare
Hi Clare, not a problem. My level was twice the level of my then 7 months old baby. I consulted a couple of professor about the transfer via breast milk. They clearly recommend breastfeeding, for various reasons, I think that the recommendation to cease breastfeeding is at much higher levels, multiple of what you have. Water in formula may well contain lead as well, at least trace amounts. Best wishes, Justyna