If you are a student preparing to take one of the many standardized tests necessary for admission to undergraduate and graduate programs at some universities, you may want to read further.
A recent article in Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Open Network found a strong link between childhood exposure to lead and lower scores on standardized tests. Surprisingly, even very low levels of lead in the blood, less than what health guidelines considered concerning, were enough to negatively impact test performance.
The CDC sets the safety threshold at 3.5 µg/dL, and any exposure above this level calls for further evaluation and potentially more support for developmental issues.
The study looked at children aged 0 to 7 in Iowa, with most of them tested by age five. These kids were born between 1989 and 2010, with 93.2% of children being born to mothers who self-reported being White and 6.8% identifying as one of the other race categories available, including Asian or Pacific Islander, Black, Native American, or unknown, which were combined in the analysis into 1 group. The math and reading scores of the participants were analyzed from grades 2 to 11. Over 300,000 children were assessed in both math and reading. Interestingly, a slight (1-point) increase in lead levels below 3.5 µg/dL was linked to small drops in national ranking scores—specifically, −0.47 in math and −0.38 in reading. For levels above 3.5 µg/dL, the score declines were larger, at −0.52 and −0.56 for math and reading, respectively.
The study highlights a crucial point: even low levels of lead exposure during childhood can affect academic performance, and this impact may be carried into adulthood.
If you’re worried about how past lead exposure might influence your current test performance, there’s hope. Start by getting regular health check-ups to monitor lead levels, seek support for skill development, and get involved in advocating for safer environments in your community. By taking these steps, you can work towards overcoming these challenges and improving your educational prospects.