Can Lead Poisoning Be Prevented?
Lead poisoning is entirely preventable. The key is stopping children from coming into contact with lead. Methods to help protect your children from lead poisoning include: • Damp-mop floors and damp-wipe surfaces often; frequently wash a child’s hands, pacifiers, and toys to reduce exposure to lead; and take off shoes before going inside your home. • Use only cold water from the tap for drinking, cooking, and for making baby formula. Run water for 1 minute each time before drinking it, especially if you have not used your water for a few hours. Hot water is more likely to contain higher levels of lead. Most of the lead in household water usually comes from the plumbing in your house, not from the local water supply. Boiling water will not reduce lead. • Avoid using home remedies for illness as well as cosmetics (for example kohl, alkohl) that contain lead. • If your work or hobbies involve working with lead-based products take basic steps to decrease your exposure to lead (for example,
a. Lead poisoning is entirely preventable. The key is stopping children from coming into contact with lead. This is how you can help protect your children from lead poisoning: i. Damp-mop floors and damp-wipe surfaces often; and frequently wash a childs hands, pacifiers, and toys to reduce exposure to lead. ii. Use only cold water from the tap for drinking, cooking, and for making baby formula. Run water for 1 minute each time before drinking it, especially if you have not used your water for a few hours. Hot water is more likely to contain higher levels of lead. Most of the lead in household water usually comes from the plumbing in your house, not from the local water supply. iii. Avoid using home remedies for illness as well as cosmetics (for example kohl, alkohl) that contain lead. iv. If your work or hobbies involves working with lead-based products take basic steps to decrease your exposure to lead (for example, by showering and changing clothes after finishing the task). If you p
Lead poisoning can be prevented by taking simple precautions around the house. These methods include the following steps: • Cleaning up paint chips and peeling paint. • Washing floors, countertops and window sills weekly with an all-purpose detergent or a detergent specifically formulated to remove lead dust. • Feeding children a diet high in iron, calcium and vitamin C and low in fat. • Offering children healthy snacks, such as fruit or pretzels, throughout the day so they will not put non-food items into their mouths. • Using proper safety measures when renovating or remodeling your house, like not using electric sanders or heat guns to remove paint or wallpaper. • Assuring that children and pregnant women do not enter the work area until renovations are complete and the area has been thoroughly cleaned. • Washing a child s hands, mouth and face and toys often. • Allowing the cold water to run for several minutes in the morning before using it for drinking, cooking or mixing infant f
Lead poisoning is one of the most easily preventable pediatric diseases. Below are simple measures you can take to reduce or even eliminate lead in your homes water: • Have your drinking water tested. If the test yields results of greater than 15 ppb lead contamination, take immediate action. However, even lower levels can add to your overall lead intake and produce harmful effects. • Flush your system before using water for drinking or cooking. If a tap has gone unused for more than six hours, lead can begin to build up in the water. Run cold water through the tap for 1-2 minutes before using the water for cooking or drinking. • As often as possible, use only cold water for cooking and drinking. Hot water can corrode lead from the plumbing more easily than cold water. If you need hot water, heat cold water on the stove rather than using hot water from the tap. • Replace any lead-soldered pipes in your home. If you have brass fixtures, be sure to flush water through them before using t
