Flint doctor who dragged the flint water crisis into the spotlight. Four years after flints water crisis began, the stratospherically high levels of lead in local drinking water have dropped. The infamous flint crisis over leadtainted water, while not definitively to blame, was a possible cause of her sons lead exposure, as for many others in this economically depressed michigan city. The water crisis in flint put lead poisoning on the national political radar. This is a mix of big picture and details about individual anguish. The cost of complete lead cleanup in the united states vox. It is a place to both find data to use and share data for others to use. Mona hannaattisha becomes advocate for flint children.
Even if you might not see any effects of lead in your childrens behavior, its still a good idea to enroll them in programs to ensure their future is as bright as they are. Per gvsu policies, this event has been canceled the author of a book recounting her discovery of how children and residents of flint were exposed to lead in their drinking water will visit campus as part of the great michigan read. Others, however, have pushed back, arguing that flints water crisis is not the culprit behind any academic losses. The city of flint has been without clean water since 2014. Pediatrician who exposed flint water crisis shares her. Nov 17, 2017 tragically, flints local leaders failed to implement an anticorrosive plan before allowing water to flow from the flint river into residents homes. State officials advised that as many as 9,000 children under the age of 6 in flint be treated as having been exposed to high levels of lead. Five years into the flint water crisis and literacy is one way to help mediate some of the negative effects children are experiencing due to lead exposure. The dolly parton imagination library book bymail program selects ageappropriate books for children from birth to age five, and sends them. It also leads to behavioral changes, such as shortening of attention span, restlessness, conduct disorders, aggression and reduced educational attainment, as shown in what the eyes dont see, a book by mona hannaattisha, a physician who helped expose the flint water crisis. Sep 22, 2017 researchers studying flint lead water crisis found a decrease in pregnancies and an increase in fetal deaths among flint women. Five years ago, lead seeped into the tap water in flint. With the huge amount of lead incorporated into the nations infrastructure, many other communities are just a few poor decisions from a similar fate.
Your dedication for the book is to the children of flint. Jun 25, 2018 after warning of elevated lead levels in her patients in flint, mich. When the people of flint, michigan, turned on their faucets in april 2014, the water pouring out was poisoned with lead and other toxins. Donate to support the flint kids book msu division of public health.
Mona hannaattisha explained shortly before addressing an audience sunday night at the maryland theatre, is not. The lead water crisis in flint was the result of a hasty and sloppily implemented decision to change the source of the town s water from lake michigan to the flint river without adequate testing for, and without legally mandated treatments to address, higher levels of corrosiveness in the new water supply. Aug 21, 2019 instead, state and city officials kept telling residents there was no lead problem in flints water. But the city did not use corrosion control to prevent lead from entering the water. Tragically, flints local leaders failed to implement an anticorrosive plan before allowing water to flow from the flint river into residents homes.
Pediatrician who uncovered flint water crisis will visit campus as part of great michigan read posted on march 10, 2020. Flints water and the american urban tragedy is a a. When replacing water lines, the city ignored maps that showed where lead pipes were, instead digging up the pipes in front of every house. Selected publications and teaching resources in this bibliography focus on lead and water safety, childrens health, and health governance as they relate to the events of the toxic water crisis in flint, michigan. Feb 20, 2020 open data flint odf, as part of the healthy flint research coordinating center hfrcc is an open access repository for all kinds of data and datarelated resources about the flint community within the state of michigan. Researchers studying flint lead water crisis found a decrease in pregnancies and an increase in fetal deaths among flint women. Open data flint odf, as part of the healthy flint research coordinating center hfrcc is an open access repository for all kinds of data and datarelated resources about the flint community within the state of michigan. The flint water crisis was entirely preventable and the result of an ideology of extreme austerity, mona hannaattisha, the flint. Early results from 174 flint children exposed to lead. Jan 24, 2019 detroitbased journalist anna clarks recentlypublished book the poisoned city. Your support will help get the flint kids book into the hands of flint children. Detroitbased journalist anna clarks recentlypublished book the poisoned city. Read a whistleblowers warnings about the flint water crisis. After warning of elevated lead levels in her patients in flint, mich.
Numerous children suffered lead poisoning as a direct result of a bureaucratic focus on the fiscal rather than the social. I could see it in the blood of kids who visited my medical clinic here. He added that while the water leaving flints drinking water system is safe to drink. Jun 27, 2019 others, however, have pushed back, arguing that flints water crisis is not the culprit behind any academic losses. It is still unclear how much the high lead levels affected childrens mental development. The flint kids book giving to michigan state university. See the programs below for free resources for children on the flint water system. Flints water and the american urban tragedy clark, anna. The citys move to switch the water supply to the flint river was corroding pipes and leaching. Five years into the flint water crisis and literacy is one way to help mediate some of the negative effects children are experiencing due to lead. Lead is one toxic legacy in americas cities, clark writes. It was the end of the summer of 2015, and children were being poisoned. Instead, state and city officials kept telling residents there was no lead problem in flints water. Dayne walling, flints mayor at the time, reached out to the epa for help answering questions about the memo, since the state water authorities were saying everything was fine.
In late 2015, michigan state officials admitted the drinking water in flint was poisoned by lead. Mona hannaattisha, the pediatrician who revealed that flint had lead in its water has a new book. Opinion for flints leadexposed children, a sobering. Hannaattishas book covers a monthlong period in the middle of the crisis, roughly from the moment she learned about lead in flints water to a news conference she held announcing test. Fertility rates dropped by 12% while fetal deaths rose by 58%. Outside of tinseltown, occurrences such as the 2014 lead debacle in flint, michiganand especially its dramatic impact on childrens cognition and behaviorhave helped ensure that waterqualityrelated incidents continue to get occasional media attention. Mona hannaattisha, the flint pediatrician who proved the citys children were being poisoned with toxic lead in their drinking water, wrote a. He added that while the water leaving flints drinking water system is.
To understand the impact of consuming contaminated drinking water on childrens blood lead levels, cdc researchers examined data on levels of lead in blood of children younger than six years before, during, and after the switch in flints water source. Early results from 174 flint children exposed to lead during water crisis shows 80% of them will require special education services. Jul 03, 2019 others, however, have pushed back, arguing that flints water crisis is not the culprit behind any academic losses. Seuss, in his 1971 childrens book the lorax, imagined a toxic place where fish walk on their fins and get woefully weary in search of some water that isnt so smeary. The flint water crisis is a public health crisis that started in 2014, after the drinking water source for the city of flint, michigan was changed. The memo wasnt supposed to be released, but a reporter obtained a copy from a flint resident whose water del toral had tested for lead. After she was unable to get the countys records of lead levels in flint, hannaattisha, who runs the hurley childrens clinic, decided to take matters into her own hands and do. Not until i heard about the possibility of lead in the water did i start to realize that.
The lead water crisis in flint was the result of a hasty and sloppily implemented decision to change the source of the towns water from lake michigan to the flint river without adequate testing for, and without legally mandated treatments to address, higher levels of corrosiveness in the new water supply. Students hear firsthand about flint water crisis news for. Flint switched from detroits water supply to the flint river in 2014, in part to save money. Flint water tied to fetal death and lower fertility rates. Students hear firsthand about flint water crisis news. Opinion how a pediatrician became a detective the new. The flint water crisis in april of 2014 flint, michigan changed its water supply from the detroitsupplied lake huron water to the flint river while waiting on a new pipeline from lake huron in order to save money. Flint water crisis book selected as great michigan read bookstr. Mona hannaattisha, who alerted officials and the public about increased lead levels in the blood of flint children, spoke on tuesday, march 3 about her book, what the eyes dont see. The flint kids book is one way high school author and public health advocate olivia holden is making a difference. Her research revealed children were exposed to dangerous levels of lead in flint, michigan. Flint doctor who dragged the flint water crisis into the.
She is now the director of an initiative to mitigate the impact of the crisis. Our results clearly showed a widespread leadinwater problem. Flints children suffer in class after years of drinking. Mona hannaattisha remembers the exact moment she suspected there could be a lead problem for the residents of flint, michigan. Jan 10, 2019 the infamous flint crisis over leadtainted water, while not definitively to blame, was a possible cause of her sons lead exposure, as for many others in this economically depressed michigan city. Both books would have benefited from a similar device, if only to underscore how quickly the crisis emerged. It affects childrens cognition, their behavior, their. The book details the lead up to the flint michigan water crisis, written. Flint doctors water crisis book is this years great. Flint doctor who dragged the flint water crisis into the spotlight visits detroit in support of her revealing book, what the eyes dont see posted by jerilyn jordan on thu, nov 7, 2019 at 1. We helped uncover the lead crisis in flint nova pbs. Flint doctor who helped expose lead water crisis is fighting for the most vulnerable. Five years after michigan switched flint s water supply to the contaminated flint river from lake huron, the citys lead crisis has migrated from its homes to its schools, where neurological. In flint, a future built on schools as well as safe water.
Years before scores of children and adults were poisoned by leadcontaminated water in flint, mich. Jun 22, 2017 after she was unable to get the countys records of lead levels in flint, hannaattisha, who runs the hurley childrens clinic, decided to take matters into her own hands and do the research. This decision brought water that is nineteen times more corrosive than lake huron water 3 into contact with flints old pipes, prompting the release of lead into the tap water. As it is, thousands of children were exposed to lead in the flint water. This activist is still fighting to get flint clean water. Read a whistleblowers warnings about the flint water. Tests later revealed elevated levels of lead in the water coming from the river.
Flint doctors water crisis book is this years great michigan read. Doctor mona hannaattisha was one of the first to show evidence of the growing lead in childrens blood in flint. A new york times notable book the dramatic story of the flint water crisis, by a. Through a series of disastrous decisions, the state government had switched the citys water supply to a source that corroded flints aging lead pipes. Jul 31, 2018 hannaattishas book covers a monthlong period in the middle of the crisis, roughly from the moment she learned about lead in flints water to a news conference she held announcing test. The flint water crisis and how lead got in the water time. The current cdc blood lead level of concern also known as a reference level is 5 or. Corrosion control, required by federal law, coats the inside of old pipes to prevent them from leaking lead. Mona hannaattisha is a pediatrician, professor, and public health advocate whose research exposed the flint water crisis. When the flint water crisis took place in 2014 and 2015, one of my graduate nursing students decided to get involved having already worked with me in the greater toledo area to screen children at risk for lead poisoning, my student helped conduct blood lead level screenings of the children exposed to the water. Jun 12, 2019 the water crisis in flint put lead poisoning on the national political radar. The funds collected will be used to supply copies of the flint kids book in the newborn bundle at msu hurley childrens hospital pediatric. How the flint water crisis set students back raw story.
Mona hannaattisha, the flint pediatrician who proved the citys children were being poisoned with toxic lead in their drinking water, wrote. Both books make it clear that whats happening in flint is not an aberration or a parable. I bought the book to learn about lead in the water, not about hunting and trading in the 1700s. Aug 14, 2018 the water crisis in flint is profoundly worrisome. The doctor who discovered lead in flints water on what. Pediatrician who uncovered flint water crisis will visit. Mona hannaattisha discovered the lead contamination after flint, mich. Dayne walling, flint s mayor at the time, reached out to the epa for help answering questions about the memo, since the state water authorities were saying everything was fine. The state said that i was an unfortunate researcher, that i. When the government switched the citys water source, residents started to complain that the water tasted strange and they were growing ill. May 16, 2016 this decision brought water that is nineteen times more corrosive than lake huron water 3 into contact with flints old pipes, prompting the release of lead into the tap water.
In april 2014, flint changed its water source from treated detroit water and sewerage department water sourced from lake huron and the detroit river to the flint river. Flints water and the american urban tragedy is a a deep dive into the public health crisis that continues to. The state said that i was an unfortunate researcher, that i was causing nearhysteria. Through a series of disastrous decisions, the state government had switched the citys water supply to a source that. Flint, michigan, has become a byword for municipal failure. On a hot day, children playing in the spray of a water hydrant were. Flints water and the american urban tragedy next city contributor anna clark recounts how a brave professor and determined activist tirelessly worked to expose government negligence and bring national coverage to a population of people poisoned by their own water supply. Flints local leaders did not comply with this federal mandate. What milwaukee can learn from the flint water crisis wuwm. Certainly lead was a problem for children in flint long before the water problems. Mona hannaattisha explained shortly before addressing an audience sunday night at the maryland theatre, is not just about the lead water crisis in flint, mich. The flint water crisis in april of 2014 flint, michigan changed its water supply from the detroitsupplied lake huron water to the flint river while waiting on a new pipeline from lake huron in.
Monas new book tells how tide turned on state in flint. Lead affects childrens brain development and results in reduced intelligence quotient, or iq. What the eyes dont see is hannaattishas account of her work studying the blood lead levels of flint children after the citys water source. How the flint water crisis set back thousands of students.
Monas new book tells how tide turned on state in flint water crisis. Doctor who discovered children had elevated lead levels talks about whats changed in 2015, dr. Lead is a neurotoxin that is especially harmful to childrens developing brains and nervous systems. Neglect, poor planning, and bad decisions led to flints. Jun 15, 2018 mona hannaattisha, the flint pediatrician who proved the city s children were being poisoned with toxic lead in their drinking water, wrote a memoir about her role in exposing flint s water. Nov 07, 2019 flint doctor who dragged the flint water crisis into the spotlight visits detroit in support of her revealing book, what the eyes dont see posted by jerilyn jordan on thu, nov 7, 2019 at 1. Pediatrician who exposed flint water crisis shares her story. Mona hannaattisha explained shortly before addressing an audience sunday night at the maryland theatre, is not just about the lead water crisis in flint. He added that while the water leaving flint s drinking water system is safe to drink, some families with lead plumbing in their homes or service connections could experience higher levels of.
566 508 1279 1104 1227 572 25 1483 442 1045 1250 117 1002 588 896 1033 1027 1485 116 596 1411 1185 766 596 153 661 113 376 785 764 188 788 1399 6 753 1233 416 216 316 558 679 831 929 721 124