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Lead poisoning is entirely preventable.
The key is stopping children from coming
into contact with lead and treating
children who have been poisoned by lead.
The goal is to prevent lead exposure to
children before they are harmed. There
are many ways parents can reduce a
child’s exposure to lead. The key is
stopping children from coming into
contact with lead. Lead hazards in a
child’s environment must be identified
and controlled or removed safely.
Lead-based paint and lead contaminated
dust are the main sources of exposure
for lead in U.S. children. Lead-based
paints were banned for use in housing in
1978. All houses built before 1978 are
likely to contain some lead-based paint.
However, it is the deterioration of this
paint that causes a problem.
All children under the age of 6 years
old are at risk because they are growing
so rapidly and because they tend to put
their hands or other objects, which may
be contaminated with lead dust, into
their mouths.
However, children living at or below the
poverty line who live in older housing
are at greatest risk. Additionally,
children of some racial and ethnic
groups and those living in older housing
are disproportionately affected by lead.
It is important to determine the
construction year of the house or the
dwelling where your child may spend a
large amount of time (e.g., grandparents
or daycare). In housing built before
1978, assume that the paint has lead
unless tests show otherwise.
Make sure your child does not have
access to peeling paint or chewable
surfaces painted with lead-based paint.
Pregnant women and children should not
be present in housing built before 1978
that is undergoing renovation. They
should not participate in activities
that disturb old paint or in cleaning up
paint debris after work is completed.
Create barriers between living/play
areas and lead sources. Until
environmental clean-up is completed,
parents should clean and isolate all
sources of lead. They should close and
lock doors to keep children away from
chipping or peeling paint on walls. You
can also apply temporary barriers such
as contact paper or duct tape, to cover
holes in walls or to block children’s
access to other sources of lead.
Regularly wash children’s hands and
toys. Hands and toys can become
contaminated from household dust or
exterior soil. Both are known lead
sources.
Regularly wet-mop floors and wet-wipe
window components. Because household
dust is a major source of lead, parents
should wet-mop floors and wet-wipe
horizontal surfaces every 2-3 weeks.
Windowsills and wells can contain high
levels of leaded dust. They should be
kept clean. If feasible, windows should
be shut to prevent abrasion of painted
surfaces or opened from the top sash.
Prevent children from playing in bare
soil; if possible, provide them with
sandboxes. Parents should plant grass on
areas of bare soil or cover the soil
with grass seed, mulch, or wood chips,
if possible. Until the bare soil is
covered, parents should move play areas
away from bare soil and away from the
sides of the house. If using a sandbox,
parents should also cover the box when
not in use to prevent cats from using it
as a litter box. That will help protect
children from exposure to animal waste.
Links of Interest
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