National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, October 18-24, 2009by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger 20 Oct 2009 11:57 AM This week in the United States is National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. The goals of National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week include:
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) estimates that 250,000 children in the United States have elevated levels of lead in the blood. This is bad. How does a child get exposed to lead? The most common source of lead in the United States these days is lead paint. Chips of old paint (used before 1978) can contain lead; dust and soil can also become contaminated by lead paint (paint can be worn down into powder and mingle with dust or soil). Lead can also enter the environment when doing home renovations -- like taking down old paint to replace with safer, lead-free paint! Other common lead sources include:
What can you do? The best thing parents can do is prevent lead exposure. Keep children away from peeling paint so they aren't tempted to taste the chips. Talk to your local or state government about testing paint and dust from your house for lead. Wash hands and toys frequently, and use a wet mop or cloth on uncarpeted floors and windowsills. If you work with lead outside the home, try to shower and change your clothes before returning to the house. The CDC has more tips for preventing lead poisoning. Learn more about Aimee Amodio  Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover... Relevanthealth tags User Comments No comments on this article yet. Be the first to comment! Discuss this article
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