The Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department would like to remind everyone to be aware of lead poisoning and how it can happen around the home for Lead Poisoning Prevention Week.
Held the third week in October, this awareness week aims to help parents and caregivers protect their children from the harmful effects of lead.
Lead can have a big effect on children, such as causing delayed growth and/or development, lower IQ and learning issues, damage to the brain and nervous system, and can lead to hearing, speech and behavior problems.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, about half of the homes built in the United States before 1978 have lead-based paint. Adults and children can get lead in their bodies from the paint in several ways, including by breathing in lead dust from building repairs or renovations, swallowing lead dust that could land on food, food preparation surfaces and other places, or eating paint chips or soil that contain lead.
If you live in a house that was built before 1978, you may want to have your child’s blood tested for lead by your healthcare provider, as many children with lead poisoning can look or act healthy.
Depending on the amount of lead found, your healthcare provider may recommend removing lead from your environment, feeding your child a diet high in iron and calcium, connecting your child to early educational services and scheduling follow-up blood testing. If your child has very high blood lead levels, medication may be recommended.
If you live in a house built before 1978 and want to do renovations or repairs, it is recommended to have a certified inspector check your home for lead-based paint or lead hazards. Visit www.epa.gov/lead/fndaprofessional or call the National Lead Information Center at 1 (800) 424-LEAD [5323] to find one.
If you rent, landlords are required to give any known information about the presence of lead-based paint before you commit to the lease under the Lead Disclosure Rule. If you are buying a house, the sellers are also required to do this.
For more information, visit https://www.epa.gov/lead/national-lead-poisoning-prevention-week or https://www.cdc.gov/lead-prevention/about/