Families who live in older housing, especially homes built prior to 1950, need to consider possible health hazards stemming from lead exposure and take steps to reduce or eliminate their exposure to lead from chipping paint on walls, window frames, and doors. Iowa's growing immigrant population may be more vulnerable to lead poisoning, especially if they live in older homes, have a language barrier and are not aware of the symptoms stemming from lead exposure. Although exposed children may not appear sick, symptoms include abdominal pain, loss of appetite, irritability, and fatigue. Only a blood test can determine if a child has been contaminated. At low levels, poisoning can cause intelligence quotient deficiencies, reading and learning disabilities, impaired hearing, reduced attention span, hyperactivity, and behavior problems.
Untreated poisoning can lead to permanent brain damage, convulsions, coma and death.
The Environmental Protection Agency has launched a user-friendly curriculum aimed at adults who speak English as a second language to help immigrants learn about lead poisoning and ways to protect their families. The lesson plan can be taught individually and is available in eight languages, including Chinese, Haitian-Creole, Khmer, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese. This page was created and is maintained by the Office of Senator Chuck Grassley.