Lead

Lead

Lead poisoning

Lead poisoning is a disease that can never be cured. Lead is the amount of lead in your blood. Lead exposure can herm young children and babies even before they are born. Lead gets in the body many ways. People can get lead in their body if they: breathe in lead dust (especially during renovations that disturb painted surfaces). Put their hands or other objects covered with lead dust in their mouths. Eat paint chips or soil that contains lead. Lead in house dust is the most common way children by washing their hands wet cleaning and fixing loose paint. Lead-contaminated soil is common in Cleveland area. Protect children by covering bare soil and giving them a safe place to play outside. Lead is even more dangerous to children under the age of six: at this age children’s brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead. Children’s growing bodies absorb more lead. Babies and young children often put their hand and other objects in their mouths. These objects can have lead dust on them. Lead is also dangerous to women of childbearing age: women with a high lead level in their system prior to pregnancy would expose a fetus to lead through the placenta during fetal development. When testing for lead you don’t test the child but you test the home and eliminate all nonessential uses of lead. The key is to identify lead hazards before a child is poisoned- before occupancy and after renovation or abatement. Dr. Bruce Lanphear, Cincinnati children’s hospital medical center. There is a shared responsibility to protect children from lead hazards: health and housing departments- promote and enforce lead-safe repairs and renovation. Promote and enforce lead hazard reduction .the owner of the house or building should: keep the paint intact* repair damage causing paint failure*use safe work practices*inform renters of lead hazards*the parent should: clean regularly to reduce recontamination*wash child’s hands and toys...