e., irritability, dizziness, stomach pains, constipation, vomiting, muscle weakness, and lack of appetite) (Kessel & O'Connor, 1997).

The results of a study by Dolinoy and her colleagues notes that healthcare professionals have long recognized the threats represented by severe lead poisoning; however, since the late 1970s, there has been a growing body of research that indicates that lead also causes asymptomatic effects at levels far below thresholds previously considered safe. According to this authors, "The adverse effects of lead, including learning and behavioral disorders (e.g., attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), hearing impairment, decreased intelligence quotient, and decreased attention span, are particularly harmful in children and often become apparent during puberty -- long after exposure has caused irreversible impacts" (Dolinoy et al., 2002, p. 947). In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have incrementally lowered the threshold for lead levels regarded as dangerous in children by...
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