Take the Lead Safety Quiz

Lead can leach into drinking water from certain types of plumbing materials (lead pipes and copper pipes with lead solder, for example). It can also be found on walls, woodwork, toys, and dinnerware made outside the U.S., as well as the outside of your home in the form of lead-based paint.

Children—and adults—can breathe in dust from the paint. Lead dust can be deposited on floors, windowsills, and eating and playing surfaces, or in the dirt outside the home.

Many homes built before 1978 may contain lead paint. Most paint made after 1978 contains no intentionally added lead, since it was banned from use on the interior and exterior of homes. Houses built before 1950 have the most potential lead hazard, as they are the most likely to have lead-based paint.

If lead is in the soil, children can swallow harmful amounts of it if they play in the dirt or in dusty areas (even indoors) and then put their fingers, clothes, or toys in their mouths, or if they eat without first washing their hands. Not all soils contain lead.

The most serious effect of lead exposure in children is brain damage. Lead exposure in youngsters can also affect a child’s growth, damage kidneys and impair hearing, as well as cause learning and behavioral problems.

Other health problems include increased blood pressure, digestive problems, sleep problems, muscle and joint pain, and mood changes.

The CDC has set 5 mcg/dL as the minimum amount of lead for concern. The CDC recommends testing a child at his or her 1-year and 2-year checkups if the child is at high risk of exposure.

The EPA has not approved and does not recommend do-it-yourself lead test kits. These kits, which do not require a lab to analyze the results, are not very accurate in determining the presence of lead paint. Instead, the EPA recommends hiring a lead inspector, who will take samples from the home and have them analyzed. A risk assessor can tell you the possible sources of lead in your home and what actions to take to lower lead exposure. For more information, or to locate lead-based paint inspectors, risk assessors and certified laboratories, visit the EPA website.

Infants, children, and pregnant women should not be in the home while renovations are under way. Exposure to lead dust is hazardous.

A child who gets enough of these minerals will absorb less lead. Foods rich in iron include eggs; lean red meat; and beans, peas, and other legumes. Dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt are also recommended for their high calcium content.