Getting the Lead Out How to guard against lead poisoning If lead is present in or around your home, you won't be able to see it. Yet childhood lead poisoning is a major, but preventable, health threat.
Lead poisoning occurs when lead is inhaled or ingested.
Small children are at greatest risk because their neurological systems are still developing, and they play close to the ground where contaminated dirt, dust and paint chips may lie. High levels of lead can cause convulsions, mental retardation, paralysis, blindness and ultimately coma and death. Lower levels can result in hearing loss, hyperactivity, decreased physical growth, learning disabilities, behavior problems, headaches, stomachaches and lethargy. Lead is most often found in the paint of homes built before 1978. As paint deteriorates, chips and dust can be inhaled or swallowed.