Fredericksburg Parent

18 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • June 2026 2 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • Special Issue 2026 WRITTEN BY CAMILLE TURNER What is lead, and how does lead poisoning affect one's health? Lead is a toxic metal found naturally in the environment that can disrupt the normal func oning of vital organs, including the kidneys, muscles and brain. Unlike many other harmful substances that the body can process and eliminate more quickly, lead accumulates in the body over me and is removed very slow- ly once it enters the system. While anyone can be harmed by lead, children under the age of six are most vulnerable to nega ve health effects a er lead exposure, which can lead to damage in the brain and nervous system, as well as issues with hearing, speech, learning and a en on that may have las ng effects over me. Not only are young children s ll growing and developing, but they are also more prone to ge ng lead into their systems because of their curious nature. "Children are always crawling around on their hands and knees, ge ng into things and pu ng their hands and other objects in their mouths," said Janine Kerr, child- hood lead poisoning preven on program health educator at the Virginia Department of Health. She con nued, "There's just a huge amount of growth and development hap- pening for kids, and lead specifically interferes with growth and development, so that's why those young kids are so vulnerable. Also, the bodies of children absorb lead at a faster rate than the bodies of adults. If an adult and a child are exposed to the same amount of lead, the child's body is going to absorb more of that lead, and it's going to absorb it faster, making them par cularly vulnerable to all of those nega ve health impacts." Why is lead s ll a concern, and where is it found? When most people think of lead exposure, they think of lead-based paint, which is the most common source of lead. However, there are also other, less obvious sources of lead that might surprise parents. These include cookware, ceramics, spices, cosme cs or tradi onal medicines that are brought from other countries and some mes used in refugee or newcomer popula ons, toys that are imported and even an que jewelry that's been passed down through genera ons. "A mother might have on an an que necklace or bracelet, and as she's holding her teething baby, the child might put the jewelry in their mouth and accidental- ly ingest any lead present in it," said Kerr. Beyond objects, lead can also be found in the environment, in contaminated soil. Kerr noted, "Contaminated soil is usually common around high-traffic areas, or around areas where the exterior of a home was painted with lead-based paint. As that home con- nues to age, and that paint starts to deteriorate, some mes small pieces can chip and flake off and fall into the soil. Kids who are playing outside may put this lead-contaminated dirt or their hands in their mouths a er they've been playing and can acci- dentally ingest lead that way." Preventing Lead Poisoning: What Families Need to Know For many parents, lead poisoning might sound like a problem of the past, but the truth is that it still poses a risk today and is even sometimes found in surprising sources. The good news, however, is that there are concrete steps that parents can take to keep their families safe. The most important first step is to educate yourself on what lead is, where it comes from and how to prevent lead exposure.

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