Lead is a highly toxic substance, especially to children. Lead comes from various sources including lead industries, mining, smelting, leaded petrol, paint, piping, and soldered joints in copper and lead containing brass fixtures and faucets.1
Lead is the number one environmental health threat to young children. It is very toxic, especially to children under age 6.2 Even small amounts can affect their growth and development. High levels in the blood has a direct correlation to reduced IQ, learning disabilities, behavioral and attention disorders. Lead poisoning is preventable and treatable. Talk to your doctor about lead testing, dietary interventions to both prevent and treat this condition, and any other questions you may have.
FACT: The burden of lead poisoning is not equally distributed among children in the U.S. The prevalence of elevated blood lead levels (BLL) in African American children living in large inner cities is around 36 percent, and the prevalence among white, suburban children who are not poor is around 4 percent.3
FACT: The CDC estimates that 300,000 children between the ages of 1 and 5 in the United States have "unsafe" levels of lead in their blood, according to a January 9 report by the Detroit Free Press about the CDC's 1999-2000 National Health and (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The CDC defines the threshold of "safe" blood-lead levels at 5 micrograms per deciliter.
Protecting Children from Lead Exposures
Since the 1970s, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its state, tribal and local governmental partners have made tremendous progress in reducing children’s lead exposures and lead-related health risks. EPA efforts to reduce lead exposures and prevent lead poisoning include a wide range of activities such as funding for community interventions and outreach, education and training, surveillance, and regulation and enforcement. Read more
Eliminating Lead Risks in Schools and Childcare Facilities
This report was supported by the Health Impact Project, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts. Any opinions and conclusions expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of contributing individuals, organizations, or funders of the Health Impact Project. Read more
Get The Lead Out!
A study published just a few weeks ago in The Lancet Public Health found that past exposure to lead may be the cause of more than 400,000 deaths in the United States every year. Read more
High Lead Exposure Linked To Hearing Loss In Youth
(Reuters Health) - Teens exposed to higher-than-normal levels of lead are more likely to have trouble hearing, suggests a new study that links the hearing problems to lead levels well below those considered "safe" by current standards. Read more...
Check Your Home and Surrounding Soil for Lead
400 Lipsticks Found To Contain Lead
Interpreting and Managing Blood Lead Levels <10 µg/dL in Children and Reducing Childhood Exposures to Lead: Recommendations of CDC's Advisory Committee on Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention
Did You Know?
Hidden Lead: Play Jewelry, Candle Wicks, Vinyl Lunch Boxes, Curtain Weights and Mo