Get the lead out : intervention : how to lower blood lead levels in children

10 Pages·2000·0.57 MB·English

by  Illinois. Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program

I
UNIVERSITYOF
ILLINOIS LIBRARY
AT
URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
BOOKSTACKS
GET THE
LEAD
OUT
ILLINOIS
DEPOSITORY
Ml
1 2002
UNIVERSITYOFILUNOI
INTERVENTIO]^urbana_champaig
How
to lower
DEPOSITORY
blood lead levels
in children rJUL 1 1 2002
Illinois Department of
Public Health
WHAT IS LEAD POISONING?
Lead poisoning is a condition caused
mostoftenbyeating lead paintchips
orbreathingoreating lead dust.
Lead is especiallyharmful to infants
and children 6years ofage and
youngerbecause theirsmallbodies
absorb lead moreeasilythan an
adult's does. Lead poisoningcan
slow a child's developmentand cause
learning and behaviorproblems.
Even small amounts oflead can
damageyourchild'sbrain, kidneys
and stomach.
KNOW THE SOURCES OF
LEAD.
Intervention Your child—renmaybe exposed to
lead from
How
to lower blood lead
• Peeling orchippingpaintin
levels in children homesbuiltbefore 1978.
• Dustfrom sanding orremoving
old paintand wallpaper.
• Soilnear a majorhighwayor
industry thatuses lead, or around
an olderhome withchipping out-
sidepaint.
• Old waterpipes made oflead or
newer fixtures that containlead
solder.
• Food grown incontaminated soil
or stored inhandmade pottery or
opened cans.
GET THE
LEAD
• Bullets and fishing sinkers and
hobbies thatuse lead, such as
OUT
ceramics and stained glass.
LelS.q
WHAT CAW DO TO REDUCE
I
MY CHILD'S EXPOSURE?
Wash up
• Have childrenwash theirhands
and faces after theyplayoutside
andbefore they eat.
• Wash infant's and toddler's toys
often. Throw away toy—s painted
with lead-based paint usually
those made in anothercountry.
Eat well-balanced meals
• Giveyour child foods high iniron
and calcium. Foods such as lean
meat, eggs, greens, tomatoes,
potatoes, and fruits and fruit
juices help keep lead out ofyour
child's system.
Limitfoods with fator oil, which
Use cold water
can keep lead inyourchild's sys-
tem. Limitfried foods and
Olderhomes mayhave lead
remove the skinfrom chicken.
plumbing pipes thatputlead into
Do notstore food in opencans or the water. Newerhomes may
have lead solderconnecting pipes.
pottery.
• Run thewater from the cold water
tap fora few minutesbefore using
itfor cooking or drinking.
• Donotuse waterfrom the hot
water tap forcooking, drinking or
preparing infant formula.
Check yourhome
• Look around yourhouse for
chipping and peeling paint and
paint dust. Checkwindow sills,
around windows, doorways and
woodwork. Check outside the
house forpaintchips.
See your doctor • To removepaintchips and dust
from around the outside of the
• Takeyour child to a doctor for a
house, hose offporches, side-
physical exam.
walks, driveways and the sides of
buildings. Scrub with a stiffbrush
• Have your child screened each orbroom and soapywater; then
year forlead. rinse as clean as possible. Pick up
and throw away paintchips.
HOUSEKEEPING HINTS
SCREENING FOR LEAD
• Use a cleaning product to clean
up loose paintchips around All children ages 6 months through6
windows, doors orwoodwork.
years shouldbe assessed every year
Throw awayall cleaning cloths. for their riskoflead poisoning.
Illinois state law requires all children
• Place duct tape over loose paintor
entering day care, nursery school,
plaster for temporary covering.
preschool or kindergarten to provide
Callyour local health department proofofablood lead test or an
or the Illinois Departmentof assessment.
Public Health's Childhood Lead
Poisoning Prevention Program for For more information, call the Illinois
information onsafe methods to re- Department ofPublic Health's
move paint, plaster orwallpaper. Childhood Lead Poisoning
PreventionProgram at217-782-0403
• Coverhard-to-clean surfaces with or 800-545-2200 orTTY 800-547-0466.
contactpaper.
• Wet dustand wetmop often to
remove lead dustin the house.
Use a clean cloth or mop
dampened with a cleaner.
Washrags separately from
other laundry.
• Throw out old newspapers,bread
bags and comicbooks. These are
sometimes printed with lead ink.
• Keep workclothes ofan adult
whoworks in a lead industry
or uses lead in a hobby
separate from clothes
ofother family
members.
Wash these
clothes
separately.
Of
the 1.2 million children aged 6
years and younger in Illinois, approxi-
mately 170,000 children have blood
lead levels that are too high.
Because lead is found everywhere,
city, suburban and rural children are
all at risk if they breathe in lead dust
or eat lead paint and dust.
This brochure provides information
on lead poisoning and describes steps
you can take to reduce your child's
exposure to lead.
Call your doctor, your local health
department or the Illinois Department
of Public Health's Childhood Lead
Poisoning Prevention Program at
217-782-0403 or 800-545-2200 or
TTY 800-547-0466 for information on
having your home inspected for lead
and removing lead hazards safely.
HAVE YOUR CHILD TESTED FOR
LEAD POISONING.
ALL CHILDREN AGES MONTHS THROUGH YEARS
6 6
SHOULD BE ASSESSED FOR LEAD POISONING EVERYYEAR.
Forfurtherinformation,contactthe Illinois DepartmentofPublicHealth's
Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program.
800-545-2200
217-782-0403
TTY 800-547-0466
Illinois Department of PrintedbytheAuthorityoftheStateofIllinois
P.O.#371344 20M 9/00
Public Health
535 W. Jefferson St.
Springfield, IL 62761 PrintedonRecycledPaper