On behalf of Riley | Ersoff LLP on Tuesday, August 13, 2019.
Children who were exposed to lead may suffer from intellectual disabilities, affecting their entire future. The disabilities will not go away as they age. Instead, they will have to learn how to compensate for them.
It is possible for children with intellectual disabilities to learn new skills, but doing so will take time. This can make school more challenging, and it makes trying to learn things for work difficult. As a parent of a child who might have been exposed to lead, it is imperative that you know the signs early on so you can to minimize the impacts.
Reduced intellectual capacity due to lead poisoning
People often speak out their IQ. This has to do with the person’s ability to reason, problem solve, make decisions and learn new things. A child who has lead poisoning and diminished intellectual capacity will be unable to do these things to the same level as their peers. Anyone with an IQ of less than 70 is considered to be intellectually challenged.
Signs can occur early in life
As early as infancy, parents might notice signs that something is amiss. You might hear people speak about milestones that the children should reach. If these aren’t met within the standard time frame, the kid may be suffering from an intellectual disability.
Some signs to look for include:
- Crawling, sitting and walking at a later time than their peers
- Difficulties relaying thoughts to others
- Trouble talking or starting to talk late
- Problem-solving and logical thinking difficulties
- Inability to do daily self-care tasks without assistance
- Not being able to link consequences to actions
Effects of intellectual disabilities and lead exposure
The severity of the disability plays a significant role in how the person will have to cope throughout life. In the most serious cases, they will be unable to live alone. For others, they will require accommodations during school and work to help them learn the information they need to know.
For the parents, this can be a rather difficult situation when the cause is exposure to lead. The child might need extensive medical care and therapy. This can be costly, so some parents seek compensation to help cover the expenses that come from the effects of the exposure to lead.
Speak to a lead poisoning attorney
If you believe your child is dealing with intellectual disabilities due to lead poisoning, contact the attorneys at Riley | Ersoff today for a free consultation.
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