Lead Awareness.pdf

Approximately half a million US children aged 1-5 have blood lead levels above 5 micrograms per deciliter, posing serious health risks. Lead can be found in dust, paint, soil, drinking water, and food, and its effects on children's health can be severe, including learning disabilities, decreased growth, and brain damage. To protect children, parents can take the following steps:

1. Get tested: Have children tested for lead, especially at ages 1 and 2, or if they have been exposed to high levels of lead.
2. Keep it clean: Regularly clean areas where children play, wash hands and toys, and avoid mixing ammonia and bleach products.
3. Reduce lead-based paint risks: Avoid removing lead-based paint yourself, and make sure children do not chew on painted surfaces.
4. Don't remove lead-based paint yourself: Hire certified and trained professionals to remove lead-based paint, and ensure they follow lead-safe work practices.
5. Don't bring lead dust into the home: Change clothes and shower after working with lead, and encourage children to play in sand or grassy areas instead of dirt.
6. Learn about lead in drinking water: Have water tested, use cold water for drinking and cooking, and flush pipes before drinking.

Additional measures include:

Having homes built before 1978 tested for lead
Following federal guidelines for lead-safe renovations
Contacting the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline for information on lead in drinking water
Using filters certified to remove lead and regularly cleaning faucet screens.