Ways to protect your children

3. Avoid Lead Poisoning – Test Your Home for Lead.
Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of lead. Lead exposure can permanently damage almost every organ in a child’s body, including the brain. Even exposure to small amounts of lead are linked with lower IQ scores, attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity, memory loss, learning disabilities, and behavior problems.

Children are most often exposed to lead by inhaling or eating lead dust from old lead-based paint or through contaminated drinking water. When lead is consumed, an adult’s body will absorb only 10 to 15 percent of the toxic metal; a child’s body will absorb 40 to 50 percent of it.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimates that 40 percent of homes built before 1978 contain lead paint. It is especially important to test your home if you live in an older house.

Steps You Can Take:

• Test your home for lead. Test kits are available at most hardware stores and home improvement centers. Be sure to test the water and all painted surfaces (including furniture) inside and outside your home, particularly areas around windows and doors and any areas where paint is peeling. Additional information on testing is available from the National Lead Information Center managed by the U.S. EPA, the CDC, and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) at 800-424-LEAD.

• Remove all sources of lead. If lead is detected in your water supply, it can be removed with filters available at most hardware stores and home improvement centers. If it is detected on painted surfaces, it should be removed by a professional if there is any indication that the paint is chipping or peeling. As a temporary measure, the area should be cleaned regularly with a damp mop to remove any potential lead dust. The National Lead Information Center (800-424-LEAD) can provide information on having the lead removed properly.