Until recently paint and water pipes often had a metal in them called lead. Lead was also in gasoline and got into the air and soil from car exhaust. It's not used in these ways any more, but there is still plenty of lead around. Lead can poison your children by getting into their mouths or breathing it in from the air. If a pregnant woman gets lead in her body, it can harm the unborn baby.
Lead poisoning is a serious problem for young children.
It can cause problems with learning, growth and behavior that can last a whole lifetime. Even small amounts of lead can be harmful. Most problems with lead come from old paint. You are most likely to have lead in your home if you live in an older house or apartment. You can't always tell if you have a lead problem just by looking.