Some chances arejust plain luck.
But when it comes to getting your child off to a safe and healthy start,
you can beat the odds, especially the odds for lead poisoning.
Children who suffer from
lead poisoning may have problems with
learning, hearing loss, and other
serious health problems that can last
a lifetime.
But you don't need
any luck at all to
take this chance.
You just need to take a few
simple steps.
What's amazing is
that as serious as
lead poisoning
can be, it's pretty
easy to prevent.
You'll have to do a little work, but
the pay-off, your child's future,
is well worth it.
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics (7404)
Publication EPA 747-F-04-002
February 2004
Recycled/Recyclable
Printed with Vegetable Oil-Based Inks on Recycled Paper
(Minimum 50% Postconsumer) Process Chlorine Free
Give Your Child the
Chance
°f a Lifetime
yW
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Childhood lead poisoning
is a major environmental
health problem in the U.S.
Lead in children can cause:
• Nervous system and kidney damage;
• Learning disabilities;
• Attention Deficit Disorder; and
• Decreased intelligence.
Where Does Lead
Poisoning Come From?
Before 1978, some paint used in houses and
apartments, inside and out, contained lead.
People can get lead in their
body if they:
• Put their hands or other objects covered
with lead dust in their mouths.
• Eat paint chips or soil that contains lead.
• Breathe in lead dust, especially during
renovations that disturb painted surfaces.
Children are more likely to be affected by
lead dust than adults because they are more
likely to put their hands and other objects
into their mouths.
Old water pipes can contain
lead, too. Bathing in it isn't a problem,
but drinking or cooking with it could be.
i ' I
How Can You Tell If
Your Child Has Been
Exposed To Lead?
Since the signs of lead poisoning aren't
easy to spot, the only sure way to know if a
child has too much lead in his or her body is
with a simple blood test. Children
with high levels of lead may complain of
headaches or stomachaches, or
may become very irritable and tired.
What Can You Do About
Lead in Your Home?
You can do a lot. And most of
it is just common sense stuff that
you would probably do, anyway.
One of the most important things is to find out
whether there is any lead-based paint or other
sources of lead where you live or where your
children play or visit often. How do you do that?
• If your home was built before
1978, it may contain lead-based paint.
Don't remove lead paint yourself. Hire a
trained and certified professional to test
your home for lead. Call
1-800-424-LEAD (5323) for
a list of contacts in your area.
• If you rent, it is your landlord'sjob to
keep paint in good shape. Report peeling
or chipping paint to your landlord and call
your health department if the paint is not
repaired safely
• If you own a home, ask the previous
owners or the realtor how old the home is to
determine whether or not you should be
concerned about lead in your home.
• Contact your local health
department or water supplier
to have your water tested for lead.
Follow the Few
to Prevent Lead
Poisoning.
Talk To Your Child's
Doctor About Having
Your Children Tested
For Lead Poisoning.
Tell your doctor that you'd like
to have your children, especially
those under age 6, tested for
lead. Your doctor can explain how impor-
tant it is to have children from 6 months
to 2 years tested. During these 18 months,
children grow the most. Head Start
also requires a blood test when
a child enters the program.
Ask the Health Specialist
at your local Head Start
center to tell you
about the process.
Here's One Thing You
Should NOT Do:
Don't try to remove lead-
based paint by yourself. Hire a
professional who has training in lead-safe
work practices. Infants, children, and
pregnant women should not be in the home
while renovations and repairs are under way.
Be sure they can stay with a relative or a
neighbor.
Checking the paint and pipes is probably
the hardest part of protecting your child
from lead poisoning. You can't really do it by
yourself. But you and your family can do a
lot on your own without any expert advice.
Join with other Head Start parents and ask
representatives of your local health and
environmental departments to come speak
to a group of parents about lead poisoning
prevention.
set a Few Simple Rules
for You and Your Children.
^
Some chances only come around once...
Like winning the lottery...or...meeting your soulmate...
...Giving your child a threat start in h one that will last forever.
Get your young children tested for
lead, even if they seem healthy.
Make sure the whole family washes
their hands before meals and
before going to bed.
Wash toys, bottles, and pacifiers
regularly.
Clean up any peeling or chipping
paint, and don't let children play
with paint chips.
Mop floors regularly.
If you think your windowsills may
contain lead-based paint, wipe
them down with a wet cloth each
time you open and close them.
Take down old, vinyl mini-blinds that
may contain lead and buy blinds that
are labeled as "lead-free."
Let water run until it becomes cold
as it will get. This could take as little
as 15 to 30 seconds if there has been
recent heavy water use such as show-
ering or toilet flushing (Let water
run longer if responding to your
local conditions). If possible, use a
filter for drinking and cooking water.
Where Can I Find More
For more information on lead and lead poisoning, contact the National Lead
Information Center at , where specialists can
speak to you in English and Spanish, call your local health department,
or visit EPA's Web site at
> If your job exposes you to lead,
remove work clothes at work and
wash your work clothes separately
from the clothes you wear around
your family.
> Cover dirt with mulch or other
plants especially next to your
home to keep children away from
lead paint chips or flakes that may
fall from painted outside walls.
> Do not store food in glazed
pottery from foreign countries.
> Feed children healthy, low-fat
foods high in calcium, iron, and
vitamin C. Lead in the body stops
good vitamins, such as iron and
calcium, from working right.
These small investments of time and
effort don't seem all that hard when
you're helping your child to a whole
lifetime of good health. Remember, it
isn't about luck. It's about protecting
your child from lead poisoning.
.gov/lead
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