Lead is often found in paint sold before 1978. Since 1978, paint sold for residential use can contain no more than 600 parts per million lead. Most lead is now used to manufacture car batteries. Other lead sources include bullets, fishing weights, curtain weights, some glazed ceramics, and plumbing solders made before 1986. The most common route for lead exposure in children is by mouth.
Young children like to put their fingers, toys and other objects in their mouths.
They especially like to do this when they are teething. Less common, but more dangerous exposures occur when children eat paint chips or soil containing lead. Lead tastes sweet, which makes it attractive to children, especially to hungry children. People who work with lead products can expose their family to lead. Exposure may occur if they bring lead-covered work clothes home for laundering or wear their contaminated clothes around the home.