Lead poisoning is a disease.
Lead can make children, especially those under six years old, very sick and can cause learning and behavior problems. Lead is often found in paint on the inside and outside of homes. The main way a child can get lead poisoned is from swallowing lead paint dust and chips. A child can also get lead from other sources, such as soil and water, but these rarely cause lead poisoning by themselves. The only way to tell for sure that a child is lead poisoned is to have his or her blood tested Your doctor, other health care provider or Board of Health can do this.