Each year, National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW) is a call to bring together individuals, organizations, industry, and tribal, state, and local governments to reduce childhood exposure to lead by increasing lead poisoning prevention awareness
Lead is a naturally occurring metal that can cause negative health effects. People are exposed to lead by eating lead chips, ingesting contaminated food or water, and or by breathing in lead dust.
Children younger than 6 years are more likely to be exposed to lead dust due to their hand to mouth behavior. Many children ingest lead dust by putting objects such as toys and dirt in their mouth. Because of their developing nervous system, children younger than 6 years old are particularly vulnerable to the effects of lead exposure since lead is easily absorbed in their nervous system.
No safe blood lead level (BLL) in children has been identified and even low levels of lead in blood can cause developmental delays, difficulty learning, behavioral issues, and neurological damage. The effects of lead poisoning can be permanent and disabling.
Exposure to lead can seriously harm a child’s health and cause well-documented adverse effects such as:
- Damage to the brain and nervous system
- Slowed growth and development
- Learning and behavior problems
- Hearing and speech problems
This can cause:
- Lower IQ
- Decreased ability to pay attention
- Underperformance in school
There is also evidence that childhood exposure to lead can cause long-term harm.
Source: www.cdc.gov
The theme for NLPPW 2023 is “Together, we can prevent lead exposure!”
- Get the Facts: Learn about lead exposure and the hazards of lead.
- Get Your Child Tested: A blood test is the best way to find out if your child has lead poisoning. Talk to your child’s healthcare provider about getting a blood lead test if your child may have been exposed to lead.
- Get Your Home Tested: Minimize your risk of lead exposure by hiring a certified professional to test your home for lead if it was built before 1978.
We are grateful that CDC, EPA, and HUD came together for National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week to bring awareness of the dangers of lead poisoning. We hope that our Coalition and the resources we share through our website will help address these dangers 365 days a year.