Fredericksburg Parent

14 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • August 2023 Lead plays no biological role in the body, so there is no safe level of lead. WRITTEN BY EMILY FREEHLING Lead still poses a threat to young children. Know how to prevent exposure, and how to screen for it through blood lead testing. While lead has been banned from gasoline, paint and many other everyday substances, this toxic sub- stance still poses an environmental hazard to young children, who may encounter it in older homes, con- taminated soils and through contact with adults who engage in activities that expose them to lead. Lead plays no biological role in the body, so there is no safe level of lead. For young children, lead exposure can hamper development, leading to lower IQ scores, language difficulties, learning disorders, attention problems and behavioral issues. The Virginia Department of Health encourages parents to be aware of the potential sources of lead exposure. Children 6 years old or younger who are at risk for lead exposure should have their blood lead levels tested at 12 and 24 months of age. "Lead poisoning is the most preventable environmental disease among young children," says Janine Kerr, Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Health Educator with the Virginia Department of Health. Lead-based paint was banned in 1978, but that doesn't mean the hazard isn't still present in American homes. According to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development's National Survey of Lead and Allergens in Housing, an estimated 38 million permanently occupied housing units, or 40% of American homes, contain some lead paint that was applied before the ban. Lead paint poses the greatest risk to children when it begins to deteriorate, creating chips and dust that can be ingested by young children who naturally crawl on the floor and put hands and toys in their mouths. "Just looking at the walls—there is no way to tell whether you have lead paint," Kerr says. "But if paint is chipping and peeling, and the home was built before 1978, then parents should ask questions." She recommends asking the landlord or property owner to con- duct a lead-based paint inspection or hiring an EPA-certified risk assessor to test for lead hazards (including paint, soil or dust). If lead paint is found, it needs to be repaired safely by a lead-safe certified contractor. Parents should also keep an eye on high-friction surfaces, such as window and door frames, where continuous movement can create fine dust that contains the contaminant. Where is LEAD? Be Be LEADSAFE LEADSAFE Sponsored Material

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