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Lead poisoning: know the facts

Public Domain
File Language:
English


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  • Corporate Authors:
    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.)
  • Description:
    Lead poisoning is caused by swallowing or breathing lead. Children under 6 years old are most at risk. If you are pregnant, lead can harm your baby. ; Fact: Lead can cause learning and behavior problems. ; Lead poisoning hurts the brain and nervous system. Some of the effects of lead poisoning may never go away. ; Lead in a child’s body can: ; • Slow down growth and development ; • Damage hearing and speech ; • Make it hard to pay attention and learn ; Fact: Most children get lead poisoning from paint in homes built before 1978. ; When old paint cracks and peels, it makes dangerous dust. ; The dust is so small you cannot see it. Most children get lead poisoning when they breathe or swallow the dust on their hands and toys. ; Fact: A lead test is the only way to know if your child has lead poisoning. ; Most children who have lead poisoning do not look or act sick. Ask your doctor to test your child for lead. ; Protect Your Family: ; 1. Test your home for lead. ; • If you live in a home built before 1978, have your home inspected by a licensed lead inspector. ; • Contact your local health department for more information. ; Sometimes lead comes from things other than paint in your home, such as: ; • Candy, toys, glazed pottery, and folk medicine made in other countries ; • Work like auto refinishing, construction, and plumbing ; • Soil and tap water ; 2. Keep children away from lead paint and dust. ; • Use wet paper towels to clean up lead dust. Be sure to clean around windows, play areas, and floors. ; • Wash hands and toys often, especially before eating and sleeping. Use soap and water. ; • Use contact paper or duct tape to cover chipping or peeling paint. ; 3. Renovate safely. ; Home repairs like sanding or scraping paint can make dangerous dust. ; • Keep children and pregnant women away from the work area. ; • Make sure you and/or any workers are trained in lead-safe work practices. ; • Home repairs like sanding or scraping paint can make dangerous dust.
  • Subjects:
  • Document Type:
    Text
  • Pages in Document:
    2 unnumbered pages
  • Download URL:
    https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/26212/cdc_26212_DS1.pdf
  • File Type:
    Filetype[PDF - 276.74 KB]
  • Collection(s):
    Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library
  • Main Document Checksum:
    urn:sha-512:96f8f1e99d7f20ef1c8e0bfea2e903db14584273e52875610c4f0ea01648cae8322107c9465407064691aa9fb33bfc318899339b7dafdb5d30e7eddd63ce5301
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