Agents who fail to uphold the new requirements are also subject to penalties under the law. He said the requirements do not apply to real estate or rental transactions that occurred before September 1996. Lead-based paint hazards pose serious health effects for babies and young children up to six years of age, and pregnant or nursing mothers. Pregnant women exposed to high levels of lead can transfer the lead to their unborn babies, and infants can absorb lead from their mothers' breast milk. Signs of lead poisoning may not be obvious in its early stages, but the ill effects to children include learning disabilities, decreased growth, hyperactivity, impaired hearing, and even brain damage.
Many scientists contend that neurological damage from lead poisoning is irreversible.