National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week is October 23-27, 2023
As parents we protect our children by keeping them warm when they are cold, buckling them up in the car, vaccinating them, and feeding them nutritious food. What about protecting them from things that are not as visible to us? Signs of lead poisoning may not be obvious, and yet, the harmful health effects could last beyond childhood. Even very low levels of lead in children’s blood are linked to adverse effects on intellect, concentration, and academic achievement.
Harris County Public (HCPH) joins forces with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other agencies across the country to observe National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW) from October 23-29, 2022. While the United States has made substantial progress reducing lead exposure over the last 40 years. However, there is still much work to do – especially in older low-income neighborhoods with homes built before 1978.
The results of lead poisoning can be very serious. In children younger than six years of age, lead poisoning can cause learning or behavior problems, and even brain, liver, and kidney damage. Lead can pass from a pregnant person to their unborn baby and may put them at risk for miscarriage or cause damage to the baby’s brain, kidneys, and nervous system. In adults, high levels of lead may cause headaches, stomach problems, vomiting and tiredness.
How can people be at risk for lead poisoning? One of the major sources of lead poisoning is found in household paint from homes built before 1978. Adults and children can get lead into their bodies by breathing in lead dust, swallowing lead dust that settles on food, food preparation surfaces, floors, windowsills, and other places, or eating paint chips or soil that contain lead. Small children are at an even greater risk because their systems are still developing, and their bodies absorb more lead because of the size of their small bodies. Even people who seem healthy can have high levels of lead in their bodies. Fortunately, lead poisoning is preventable through proper handling and if removed from contaminated areas.
Protect your children and family from lead poisoning! You may qualify for FREE lead inspection and removal from your home through the HCPH Lead Abatement and Prevention Program. If you live in Harris County, outside the City of Houston, in a single-family property built before January 1, 1978, contact HCPH Lead Abatement and Prevention Program to schedule a home inspection appointment at (713) 274-6374 or visit www.hcphtx.org.