Protect  Your  Children  From
                         Lead  Poisonin
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Get your child
tested for lead
poisoning, even
if he or she
seems healthy.
Clean floors,
window frames,
window sills, and
other surfaces
weekly. Use a
mop, sponge, or
paper towel with
warm water and a
general all-purpose
cleaner or a cleaner
made specifically
for lead.
Reduce the risk of
lead paint. Make
sure your child is
not chewing on
anything covered
with lead paint.
Don't try to
remove lead
paint yourself.


Don't bring lead
dust into your
home from work
or a hobby.


Have your water
tested. If the cold
water hasn't been
used for more than
a few hours, let it
run for 15-30
seconds before
drinking it or
cooking with it.
Eat right and don't
store food in high-
lead pottery.
                    Lead poisoning is a serious problem for young children
                             the younger the child, the greater the risk.
EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline
        1-800-426-4791
                           For More Information
                           National Lead Information Center
                                  1-800-424-LEAD
  Visit our web site
http ://www.epa.gov/lead
       United States Environmental Protection Agency • Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics • Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
              Recycled/Recyclable — Printed with vegetable oil based inks on recycled paper (30% minimum post-consumer)

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  Lead awareness  and your
  children
      About 1 in 22 children in America have
  high levels of lead in their blood, according to
  the Centers, for Disease Control and Prevention.
  You may have lead around your building without
  knowing it because you can't see, taste, or smell
  lead. You may have lead in the dust, paint, or soil
  in and around vour hcnie. or in your drinking water
  or food. Because it does not break down naturally.
  lead can remain a problem until it is removed.
      Before we knew how harmful  it could be, lead
  was used in paint, gasoline, water pipes, and niany
  other products. Now that \ve  know the danger; of
  lead, house paint is almost lead-free, leaded
  gasoline has been phased out and household
  plumbing is no longer made with lead materials.

  How lead  affects your
  child's health
      The long-term effects of lead in a child can be
  severe. They include learning disabilities, decreased
  growth, hyperactivtty. impaired hearing, and even
  brain damage. If caught early, these effects can be
  limited by reducing exposure to lead or by medical
  treatment. If you are pregnant, avoid exposing
  yourself to lead. Lead can pass through your body
  to your baby. The good news is that there are simple
  things you can do to help protect your family.

  1.  Get your child tested.
      Even children who appear kealtkv may have
  high levels of lead. You can't tell if a child has
  lead poisoning unless you have him or her tested.
  A blood test takes only ten minutes, and results
  should be ready within a week.
      Blood tests are usually recommended fcr:
  /   Children at ages 1 and 2.
  /   Children or other farmlv members who
      have been exposed to high levels of lead.
  /   Children who should be tested under
       your state or local screening plan.
       To find out where to have your child tested.
  call your doctor or local health clinic. They can
  explain what the test results mean, and if more
  testing will be needed

  2.  Keep  it  clean.
       Qrdinan' dust and dirt may contain lead.
  Children can swallow lead or breathe lead
  contaminated dust if they play in dust or dirt
  and then put their fingers or toys in their mouths.
  or if thev eat without washing their hands first.
  /   Keep the areas where your children play
       as dust-free and clean as possible.
  /   Wash pacifiers and bottle i after they fail
       on the floor. Keep' extras handy.
  /   Clean floors, window frames, window
       sills, and other surfaces weekly. Use a mop.
       sponge, or paper towel with warm water and
       a general all-purpose cleaner ci a cleaner
       made specifically for lead REMEMBER:
       NEVER MIX AMMONIA AND BLEACH
       PRODUCTS TOGETHER SINCE THEY
       CAN FORM A DANGEROUS GAS.
  /   Thoroughly rinse sponges and rnop heads
       after cleaning dirty and dusty areas.
  /   Wash toys and stuffed animals regularly.
 /   Make sure your children wash Their hands
     before meals, nap time, and bedtime.


 3.  Reduce the risk from
     lead  paint.
     Most homes built before I960 contain
 leaded paint. Some homes built as recently as
 19"?S may also contain lead paint. Thin paint
 could be on window frames, walls, the outside
 of your house, or other surfaces. Tiny pieces of
 peeling or chipping paint are dangerous if eaten.
 Lead paint in good condition is not usually a
 problem except in places where painted surfaces
 rob against each  other and create dust. (Fci
 example, when you open a window, the
 painted surfaces rub against each other.)
 S   Make sure vour child does  nor chew on
     anything covered with lead paint, such as
     painted window sills, cribs, or playpens.

 /   Don't bum  painted wood. It may contain
     lead.


 4.  Don't remove lead paint
     yourself
     Families have been poisoned by scraping
 or sanding lead paiHT because these activities
 generate large amounts of lead dust. Lead dust
 from repairs or renovations of older buildings
 can remain in the building tciig after the work
 is completed.  Heating paint may release lead
 into the air.
 /   Ask your local or state health department
     if they will  test your home  for lead paint.
     Some will test for free. Home test kits
     cannoi detect small amounts of lead
     under some conditions.
 /   Hire a person with special training for
     correcting lead paint problems to remove
     lead paint from your home, someone who
     knows how to do this work safelv and has
     the proper equipment to clean up
     thoroughly. Don't try to remove
     lead paint yourself.

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