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Keep Kids Safe from Lead Poisoning

Photo of baby Lead is a poison. Many homes and apartments built before 1978 have lead paint in them. Water and soil can also have lead in them. Kids can get lead poisoning by:

Putting their hands in their mouth after touching lead paint or dust
Breathing in dust that has lead in it
Drinking water from lead faucets or pipes
Eating chips of lead paint from walls, windowsills, and old painted furniture
Eating dirt, chalk, wood, clay, or other things that are not food

Symptoms of lead poisoning are:

Not feeling hungry
Stomach pain
Throwing up
Constipation
Crankiness
Loss of energy
Trouble sleeping

Lead poisoning is very dangerous. It can cause:

Slowed growth
Shortened attention span
Hyperactivity (not being able to sit still)
Learning and hearing problems
Headaches
Brain damage

Your child could seem fine but have too much lead in his or her body. The only way to know is to get a blood test. All children living in a high-risk ZIP code area must have a lead-screening blood test at ages 1 and 2. Children between ages 3 and 6 should receive a lead-screening blood test if they have not already been tested for lead poisoning. Your doctor may order the test when your child is younger than age 1 and more often if your child is at high risk.