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[L]ead is a double whammy: It impairs specific parts of the brain responsible for executive functions and it impairs the communication channels between these parts of the brain. For children like the ones in the Cincinnati study, who were mostly inner-city kids with plenty of strikes against them already, lead exposure was, in Cecil's words, an "additional kick in the gut." And one more thing: Although both sexes are affected by lead, the neurological impact turns out to be greater among boys than girls.Children ingesting even the tiniest amounts of lead at school are being set up for failure. And, according to recent reports, this problem is only growing across the United States. Studies of 34 states suggest that at least 3,810 neighborhoods have lead levels double those in Flint, Michigan, while half of those sites have levels four times as high.
Other recent studies link even minuscule blood lead levels with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Even at concentrations well below those usually considered safe - levels still common today - lead increases the odds of kids developing ADHD.
Comment: Further details on the shooting reveal that a temporary employee at a drug distribution center was the attacker. She shot people outside her job and on the warehouse floor before shooting herself fatally in the head.