Semi OT - Exposing Kids To Lead From Soldering/Handling Components

[amonte]

A few months back, I had posted on this forum about my concerns soldering while my wife is pregnant.  During her pregnancy, I limited my soldering and project work to almost nothing. 

I'm happy to say he's three months old now, and while I have started working on projects again, I have greatly limited my time working on these things (or I should say, my time for working on these things is greatly limited)   

The problem is that there are times when I do work on these projects in the garage with the soldering iron.  I've been trying to change all of my clothes after wards and wash my hands (and up to my forearms) with soap before handling the baby.  That said, there may have been one or two times where I accidentally touched him without either changing my clothes or after handling components and or solder (not sure about the last one though - I am usually very good about washing afterwards).

This morning, I decided to do a little breadboarding and was handling components.  Before I left for work, I went to say goodbye and I realized I touched his pj's without washing my hands first.  I quickly washed my hands and then used a wipe to wash his hands and wash wipe off his pajamas. 

Being a new Dad, I am now starting to worry.  Did either of these events put my baby in danger?  Do I talk to his mother about it (oh man) or call the doctor and see if he should be tested for lead?  Should I just be more careful in the future and stop being so paranoid?

Second, most of my components are stored in the room next door to the baby's room.  Should all this be moved to the garage?  Is it ok to breadboard in there or could that be dangerous as well?  Should I have my house checked for lead? 

Any advice you guys can offer would be great.  I would never forgive myself if I harmed my son.

[markm]

I don't think the amount of lead your wee-one has been exposed to is enough to be the slightest bit concerned about at all.
I would be more concerned about the chemicals used in the dyes of his toys, jammies, food, etc.
Preservatives have been found to have some profound effects on young'ns and that should probably be a major concern as well.
You can nit-pick all the small stuff when raising children and be completely blind to the "everyday" stuff that is really the danger to them. This is my half-fast look at it but, my wife is a licensed child-care provider and has taken numerous classes and coarses on these various subjects.
There are more toxins in the average diaper than in any of the exposure you've given him.

[R.G.]

You did not harm your son.

You are being paranoid bordering on hysterical. Get over it.

Lead acetate and other lead compounds in paints as used for centuries is easily absorbed by the human gut. Lead oxide from the surface of solder is much less so. There is almost no lead transferred to your hands when soldering. There is even less transferred by a touch to something else. There is even less absorbed into your son's skin by touching cloth touched by you.

Lead is not a self-replicating virus.

Wash your hands after you solder, you're as hygenic about lead as you need to be.

You have been programmed to be almost hysterical about lead. It's not your fault.

The media has told you over and over and over and over that lead is a danger on a par with plutonium. This is precisely so you will be hysterically afraid enough to pay any amount of money and dislocation in your life to remove lead in whatever form.

As a general rule, whenever someone yells "OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! YOU GOTTA DO THIS RIGHT NOW!" it's a reliable indicator that you should start thinking for yourself, not obeying.

[markm]

As a general rule, whenever someone yells "OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! YOU GOTTA DO THIS RIGHT NOW!" it's a reliable indicator that you should start thinking for yourself, not obeying.

Very true indeed.
I'd be more worried about the baby wipes than any lead exposure!

[amonte]

Thanks guys...I will take off the radiation suit now...

You are being paranoid bordering on hysterical. Get over it.

I'm a new dad.  I can't help it.  This comes with the territory.  And if you think that's something, you should meet his mother.

Seriously, RG and markm, thank you for replying.  It does make me feel better.

As far as the wipes go, they tend to be used very sparingly - I think today was the second time I've ever wiped his hands with them.  Usually, they are for the...ahem...major cleanup in the backyard.  We're using the most gentle ones we can find, they are the hypo allergenic/sensitive skin/no scent ones.  I'm sure you're going to tell me now that they're made with radon...

[markm]

I used to use Acetone! 
(just kiddin')

[MikeH]

If you knew how much of that crap was floating around you in the air, soil and water everywhere you went you'd probably freak out.

[R.G.]

There is a community in Kalifornia which has a high incidence of lung ailments including lung cancer.

Nope, not built over a toxic dump site. It's built on a natural outcropping of asbestos. Micro particles of asbestos everywhere.

If you think about it, excepting for a few space shots and some infalling meteors, every atom on the planet was already here when we woke up. Good and bad.  We can only rearrange it, not escape it.

[oldschoolanalog]

amonte: Congratulations for your new family member !
Relax, and enjoy being a new Dad. Trust your instincts. All will be fine.
All the best!
osa