Adding lead made paints brighter and increased their durability. Experts believe that in some parts of the country, three out of four homes are likely to have some lead paint. Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of lead contamination. Scientists believe that lead may cause serious health problems in children, especially young children. It may also cause problems in pregnancy.
Experts believe that children under six are at greatest risk from exposure.
Children who live or play with other children that have been lead poisoned are at greater risk. As are also children living in pre-1960s homes and children that do not ingest sufficient levels of iron or calcium. For good reason, federal health officials recently reminded owners of older homes to ensure that their children are kept away from home improvement projects involving paint scraping or sanding. A recent New York state study of children living in homes where there had been recent removals of lead containing paint revealed that nearly ten percent had dangerously high levels of lead in their blood. Ingestion and inhalation pose an ongoing threat to children in houses with lead containing paint.