Most victims are children, and the effects can be devastating - damage to the central nervous system, a lifelong reduced intelligence and behavior problems, seizures, coma and even death. It was public health that identified lead in gasoline as a major source of exposure among children and influenced the decision to remove it and switch to unleaded fuel. As a result of that change alone, blood lead levels in children declined 70 percent. Public health has also been instrumental in eliminating lead from paint, lead solder in food cans, drinking water and reducing air pollution around ore smelters. Even moderate amounts of lead over a long amount of time may cause decreased intelligence and delayed development of a child's brain, leading to learning disabilities and behavior problems - even though the exposure is not enough to cause immediate and obvious symptoms.
Lead exposure can come from a variety of sources.
The older the home, the greater the risk of having interior lead-based paint. Lead may also be found in plumbing, contaminated soil and canned food containers. High levels of lead have also been found in ceramic dishes that are glazed incorrectly, some types of candy from Mexico, several types of wax crayons and some inexpensive vinyl mini-blinds. Public health departments across the country continue to take an active role in educating parents about sources of lead poisoning, screening and identifying children and communities at risk, and developing effective, low-cost ways to remove lead from the environment. As a parent, you can help keep your child safe and healthy by keeping them from eating or chewing on things other than food or touching areas that may be contaminated with lead.