How can families reduce the risk of exposure to lead?
• Avoid exposure to sources of lead. • Do not allow children to chew or mouth surfaces that may have been painted with lead-based paint. • If you have a water lead problem, run or flush water that has been standing overnight before drinking or cooking with it. • Some types of paints and pigments that are used as make-up or hair coloring contain lead. Keep these kinds of products away from children. • If your home contains lead-based paint or you live in an area contaminated with lead, wash childrens hands and faces often to remove lead dusts and soil, and regularly clean the house of dust and tracked in soil.
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), on average, children under six will absorb/retain about 50% of the lead they ingest. That percentage can be reduced through good nutrition, including adequate levels of calcium, iron, vitamin C, and zinc. In addition, since lead has been shown to cause developmental problems in young children at very low levels, it makes sense to become educated on where lead can come from, and eliminate all controllable sources of lead exposure whenever possible. This would include testing and removing lead paint at home (homes built before 1978 are at higher risk), running the water for 15 to 30 seconds before drinking or cooking (older homes may have plumbing with lead or lead solder), regular hand and face washing, and regularly cleaning the house of dust and tracked in soil. For a more detailed overview, click here.
