October is 

Children’s Health

Month 

How many tips can 

you follow in 31 days? 

1	 		

Get Your Child 

Tested for Lead 

Have your child tested for lead at 12- and 

24-months-old by their health care provider 

or your local health department. 

2 		

Calculate Your 

Carbon Footprint 

Teach children how they can save energy at home. Find 

out how your family can reduce home energy use with 

EPA’s Carbon Emissions Calculator at www.epa.gov/ 

climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html. 

3

Learn wha

		

Eliminate Asthma 

Triggers 

t triggers your child's asthma. Common 

triggers are cockroaches, pet dander, dust mites, 

mold, and secondhand smoke. Work with a health 

professional to develop an asthma management plan. 

Visit www.epa.gov/asthma or call 1-866-NO-ATTACKS. 

4

The ke

		

Protect Children 

from Mold 

y to mold control is moisture control. If mold is 

a problem in your home or school, clean up the mold 

and get rid of the excess water or moisture. Fix leaky 

plumbing or other sources of water. Visit www.epa. 

gov/mold. 

5 Keep Our Air 

Breathable 

Encour

		

age fitness, reduce traffic, and reduce air 

pollution—all at the same time. Instead of driving your 

children to school and after-school activities, have 

them walk, bike, or use public transportation. 

6 
 Protect Your Kids from
�

Lead in Drinking Water 

If you w

		

ant to know whether your home’s or school’s 

drinking water contains unsafe levels of lead, have 

your water tested. For more information on testing 

your water, call EPA’s Safe Drinking 

Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791. 

7 		

Reduce Mercury 

Exposure 

Replace mercury thermometers with digital 

thermometers. If you break a mercury thermometer, 

keep children away and follow clean-up instructions at 

www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/index.htm#thermometer. 

8 Reduce Your Use of 

Plastic Bags and Bottles 

Pack children’s school lunches in reusable bags and 

give them a reusable bottle for water at lunch and 

during sports practices. 

9 
 Protect Children from
�

Lead-Based Paint 

If you live in a home built before 1978, make sure you 

hire contractors that are trained and certified to follow 

lead-safe work practices for any painting, renovation, 

or repair jobs. 

10	 Beware of (Ener

Teach y

		 gy) 

Vampires 

our children to unplug or turn off power strips 

for computers, TVs, radios, CD players, cell phone 

chargers, and other appliances when they are not in use. 

You’ll be amazed at how much your energy bill drops! 

1 1	

Teach 

		

Use Water 

Efficiently

children to turn the water off while brushing 

teeth, and to take short (5-minute) showers. 

Replace old showerheads with WaterSense-labeled 

showerheads. 

12	 		

Reduce Exposure 

to Air Pollution 

Find out when outdoor air pollution is high in your 

area at www.AIRNow.gov, from newspapers, TV, or 

radio stations. Limit children’s outside activities when 

the Air Quality Index rises to unhealthy levels. 

13	 Reduce Risks from 

Lead in Drinking Water 

Run water until it becomes cold. Use only cold water 

for drinking, cooking, and making baby formula. 

14	 Help Kids Eat 

Healthier Food 

Feed y

		

our kids more fruits and vegetables, less sugar, 

and fewer carbonated beverages and processed 

foods. Have regular family meals. Be a role model by 

eating healthy yourself. 

15	 		

Kids Act Fast and 

Poisons Do Too 

Install child-proof safety locks on kitchen and 

bathroom cabinets. Post the number for the National 

Poison Control Center, 1-800-222-1222, where you can 

find it in an emergency. 

16	

Even a 

		

Grow Your 

Own Food 

small garden is good for children, good for 

everybody. Planting a backyard garden with your 

kids is a good way to connect with nature—and a 

great way to have a ready supply of fresh fruits and 

vegetables. 

17	 Prevent 

Poisoning 

Store pes

		ticides and other household chemicals 

where kids can’t reach them, and never put them in 

other containers that kids can mistake for food or 

drink. 

18	 Eat Your Veggies 

— Safely! 

Wash fruits 

		 and vegetables under cold running water 

and peel them whenever possible to get rid of dirt, 

bacteria, and pesticide residues. 

19	 		

Keep Your House 

Pest-Free 

Pests need food, water, and shelter just like we do. To 

keep pests in check, get rid of clutter, empty garbage 

often, fix leaks, and keep food in tightly sealed 

containers. 

20 		

Protect Your Children from 

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning 

Have a trained professional inspect, clean, and tune 

up your central heating system—furnaces, flues, and 

chimneys—annually. 

21	 		

Reduce Exposure to Chemical 

Residues 

Always wash children’s hands before they eat or nap. 

Wash their stuffed animals and toys often. Regularly 

clean floors, window ledges, and other surfaces 

to reduce possible exposure to lead and pesticide 

residues. 

22	 Watch Out for 

Lyme Disease 

Lyme disease

		 is spread by ticks. Children can be at 

higher risk for tick bites because they play outside and 

are close to the ground. Dress children in pants and 

long-sleeved shirts in areas where ticks are prevalent 

and apply insect repellent as an extra precaution. 

Ar

Don’t Smoke 

ound Children 

Until you quit, choose to smoke outside. Do not 

smoke in your home or car and do not allow family 

and visitors to do so. Visit www.epa.gov/smokefree. 

24
 		

Test Your Home
�

for Radon
�

Radon is a cancer-causing natural radioactive gas 

that you can’t see, smell, or taste. Test your home or 

school for radon. Fix if you have a radon level of 4 

pCi/L or more. Visit www.epa.gov/radon. 

25	
 		

Prevent Carbon Monoxide 

Poisoning 

Carbon monoxide (CO) is odorless, colorless, and 

toxic. It can kill you before you are aware it is in your 

home or school. Install CO alarms that meet UL, IAS, 

or Canadian standards outside all bedrooms. 

26	
 		

Avoid Unnecessary
�

Pesticide Use
�

Don’t use pesticides if you don’t have to. Avoid 

scheduled treatments. If you must use a pesticide, use 

it only in the area where it’s needed and follow label 

instructions carefully. Learn more at www.epa.gov/ 

pesticides/controlling. 

27 		

Reduce Risk from
�

Carbon Monoxide
�

Never idle a car in the garage, even with the door 

open. Never use a generator indoors, in any enclosed 

space or near windows, doors, or other openings that 

could draw fumes indoors. 

28	 		

Keep Pests 

Out! 

Some pests, such as cockroaches, can trigger asthma 

attacks in children. Seal cracks where roaches and 

other bugs hide or get into your 

home or school. 

29	 Let’s 

Move! 

One thir

		

d of American children are overweight. Help 

your children stay fit and join First Lady Michelle 

Obama’s campaign to fight childhood obesity. Visit 

www.letsmove.gov. 

30 		

Help Children Avoid 

“Nature Deficit Disorder” 

Cut back on “screen time” and help kids enjoy the 

great outdoors with a day at the zoo, family time 

at the beach, a visit to a local park, or a walk in the 

woods. Check out America’s Great Outdoors Initiative 

at www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors. 

31	 		

Be 

SunWise 

Help kids avoid sunburns with sun-protective clothing, 

hatsandsunscreen,andbyseekingshadewhenthesun’sraysare 

strongest(between10AMand4PM).Visitwww.epa.gov/sunwise. 

Learn about environmental health 

www.epa.gov/children
�

23	

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