Teaching your kids to shoot can be an incredible experience. It not only teaches them something that you are proud of but is arguably also a valuable skill to have.
It doesn’t change the fact that there is the potential that there may be unfortunate side effects from this activity throughout this process. Your children may end up being exposed to unfavorable lead levels in the process as well.
We do not want to take away the joy you may get from taking your kids shooting at your local shooting range. We would encourage you to consider their exposure.
How can you go about making it a safer experience for them? It’s not just in the sense that you teach them how to handle this tool better than you are teaching them how to use it. It’s also how you minimize their exposure to the harmful substance.
We have already covered some of the symptoms that you may be experiencing when exposed to higher lead levels.
We shared our belief that it would be a good idea to get your blood lead levels tested every so often. The same applies to your kids, even more so than it will to you as an adult.
Kids are still at a stage in their lives where their bodies and minds are developing. It Includes teens.
Exposure to high lead levels carries a significant risk of some of the devastating symptoms that kids will experience when exposed at a young age.
Lead exposure in kids can have devastating effects like developmental delay and cognitive decline. It’s not giving them the best chance at life they deserve.
Before you start taking your kids to the gun range, do this. Every couple of months, we recommend that you get their blood levels tested. It will ensure that they aren’t showing test results that could be a sign of an issue.
The longer the exposure is and the more distinct it is, the higher the risk of devastating side effects.
Some people may think about teaching kids how to use a gun. There is no denying that there are many instances and parts of the country where it is a very common activity to engage in.
Memberships in rifle clubs, various types of shooting sports, as well as activities that involve competing, may all expose you to lead.
Lead poisoning in children is no new occurrence. The EPA estimates that millions of homes across the United States still contain the damaging paint on the walls.
Going to shooting ranges is also doing nothing good in limiting lead poisoning in children. We encourage you to take various precautions.
These have shown that regular exposure to these places is likely to cause increased lead levels in the blood.
Teaching your kid the art of shooting should be a joyful experience. You wouldn’t want to know that such actions caused them to harm either.
The employees working at the shooting ranges are going to be the ones that are the most exposed to this material. It’s especially if they work there for longer periods.
Also, they aren’t taking various precautions when cleaning the range for new shooters.
If you aren’t taking precautions, at least to the extent that it would help in diminishing their exposure. Safety measures should include wearing various types of protective gear, which most people won’t.
We would at least encourage you to make sure that you are avoiding having your kids eat and drink while they are there.
The dust will settle on their hands, which may go on the food or inside the drink. This stuff becomes an issue from the sheer proximity to the mouth.
You should also make sure that your kids don’t tend to touch their faces all the time. Their hands will contain the dangerous particles following a training session at the range.
When you have a teenager who has shown an interest in learning the skill, we encourage you to make sure that there is a range of precautions. This includes how you choose the firing range that you use.
- The range should have good procedures for cleaning and maintaining the place. It would involve both wet cleaning and the use of a HEPA vacuum.
HEPA stands for “high-efficiency particulate air.” It is the same device used when abatement is done at a house to ensure that the small, nasty particles are removed at the end of the process.
Wet cleaning also helps remove more particles than dry cleaning does.
- The range should have a dedicated exhaust ventilation system. It will help by extracting a lot of the particles before they manage to settle on the ground or on top of other objects.
- It’s important that you teach your child not to consume beverages or snacks throughout the practice. It’s important that you make sure they understand the reason.
Whether or not your child is planning on eating or drinking after a training session, you must teach them to wash their hands. It’s important before eating and drinking.
Cold, soapy water should be used for this purpose. Use soap intended to remove dangerous particles. Cold water is better than hot water for washing as it closes the pores.
- The best option would be to wear a respirator throughout. It may not always be possible We know the difficulty in getting children and teens to wear these. A more realistic and sustainable option may rather be to use paper masks that have been rated useful for the purpose.
- Shooting should involve the use of clothing that is washed after each session at the range.
Alternatively, it can be left in a locker but must be washed regularly and should not be used as regular clothes without washing it first.
Clothes brought home from the shooting range should also be washed individually to avoid cross-contamination. Lead dust could be spread everywhere.
- It is usually good to foster responsibility among teens. It is best that they aren’t in charge of loading their own ammunition given the risk of exposure to the dangerous dust.
- For teens especially, we encourage you to consider using ammunition that does not contain any lead in them.
- Your child may be using ammunition that is free from lead. Chances are that other people aren’t, which is why these measures are still important.
