December 3, 2007 (Vol. 6, No. 8)

Lehman Alum Teaches Children about Lead Poisoning

Ben Oberstein '75, an educational outreach coordinator for New York City's Department of Housing Preservation and Development, visited the Lehman College Child Care Center on November 27 to talk about the dangers of lead poisoning.

The video he presented, called "Lead Away," featured Sesame Street muppets Elmo, Oscar-the-Grouch, and Rosita, as well as a rock group called the "Lead Police," who reminded the children to wash their hands often, keep their hands out of their mouths, get a blood test, and stay away from peeling paint and dust.

"We're not trying to scare them," says Oberstein, "we're just trying to raise their awareness in a fun way." All the children received certificates of participation.

Although lead poisoning is harmful to everyone, Oberstein says young children are especially vulnerable because they absorb lead more easily than adults and do not control what they put in their mouths. Even low-level lead poisoning can damage a child's nervous system, growth rate, hearing, and ability to learn. Lead can be found in contaminated water, food, and soil, dust, certain types of glass crystal, and paint—the major source of lead poisoning in the United States. Oberstein and his colleagues also conduct these information sessions in the City's schools, colleges, senior centers, hospitals, and day camps.

A 2005 paper published in the Environmental Law Journal estimated that approximately 60 percent of all residential housing in New York City was built before 1960, when the ban on the use of lead paint went into effect. According to a report issued that same year by the City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, lead poisoning is still a significant health problem, but efforts to reduce the sources of lead in the City's communities had reduced the number of childhood lead poisoning cases dramatically—by 83 percent over the prior decade.

Oberstein says he enjoys returning to campus because it gives him the opportunity to give back to Lehman, which is the source of many fond memories.

Select a Volume Volume 9 (Spring 2009) Volume 8 (Fall 2008) Volume 7 (Spring 2008) Volume 6 (Fall 2007) Volume 5 (Spring 2007) Volume 4 (Fall 2006) Volume 3 (Spring 2006) Volume 2 (Fall 2005) Volume 1 (Spring 2005)