Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week is October 23-27

KDHE Encourages Parents to take Precautions to Protect Kids

Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Week is October 23-27. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is advising parents on how children might be exposed to lead, and precautions they can take to reduce the risk of childhood lead poisoning. All homes built in the U.S. before 1978 may have surfaces covered with lead-based paint, and more than 72 percent of homes in Kansas were built prior to that year.

“Childhood l ead poisoning can be devastating to children and families, but it can be prevented,” stated Doctor Howard Rodenberg, M.D., M.P.H., and Director of the KDHE Division of Health. “Having your child’s blood lead level checked is the only way to catch lead poisoning in the early stages. Some children may not show outward symptoms or the symptoms could be confused with other common illnesses. Parents should talk with their family doctor or local health department about having their children tested when they reach 12 months and 24 months of age.”

If a child does show symptoms, the level of poisoning is advanced. Symptoms of childhood lead poisoning can include hearing, behavior and learning problems. Children with high blood lead levels may have poor appetite, stomachaches, vomiting, constipation, crankiness, loss of energy, headaches, and trouble sleeping.

Homes built before 1978 should be tested for lead before renovations or repairs. If you believe you might have lead in your home, KDHE recommends the following:

• Keep your child away from peeling, chipping paint. Chipping paint is easily converted into lead dust, which infants and toddlers will easily ingest through hand-to-mouth behavior.
• Always wash your children’s hands after play, before eating, and before bedtime. Wash toys, pacifiers and other objects children put in their mouths.
• Cover lead-painted walls and ceilings with plaster, wallboard, wallpaper, paneling, or lead-free paint. Do not dry sand, dry scrape or sandblast the old paint.
• Clean the floors, windowsills, window troughs, furniture and other surfaces in your home to remove lead dust with detergent once a week.
• Mini-blinds purchased before July 31st, 1996 should be discarded.
• Feed children foods like milk, cheese, yogurt, lean meat, beans and eggs that are high in calcium and iron.
• Talk with your doctor or local health department about having your children tested for lead when they reach 12 months and 24 months of age, even if they don’t appear sick.

In 2005, KDHE received 327 reports of elevated blood lead levels in Kansas residents, with children and adolescents comprising the largest affected age groups. Blood lead levels as low as 10 micrograms per deciliter (ug/dL) are associated with harmful effects on children’s learning and behavior. High blood lead levels are associated with decreased intelligence, mental retardation, and hyperactivity. Levels as high as 70 ug/dL can cause seizures, coma, and death.

To learn how to take precautions to protect your family, contact the KDHE Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at 1-866-865-3233 or your local health department. Information about lead poisoning prevention is also available on the program’s Web site at www.kshealthyhomes.org.

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