 | | | | Is Your Home Lead Safe?
Recently, the Minneapolis IEIC helped sponsor an event called "Preventing Harm to Growing Brains" which examined the links between routine exposures to environmental neurotoxins and the growing number of children with learning and developmental disabilities. While we are still learning about the effects of many chemicals in our environment, we already know that some, like lead, can cause brain damage, learning difficulties, hearing problems or hyperactivity. While lead can harm anybody, it is particularly dangerous to children. If children breathe in lead dust or eat paint chips or soil that contains lead, they can get high levels of lead in their bodies.
What can you do to keep your home lead safe? If your home was built before 1978, it may contain lead-based paint. Check for cracked or damaged paint. It is a hazard and needs immediate attention. Remodeling? Lead dust can form when lead-based paint is scraped or sanded. Gardening or just working and playing outside? Lead in soil can be a hazard when people bring soil into their house on their shoes or when children play in bare soil.
The only way to find out if lead hazards exist in the paint, dust or soil is to have samples tested. You can call the Sustainable Resources Center at (612) 872-3282 for more information on lead assessments for your home.
The only way to learn if your child has been exposed to lead is a blood test. If you have young children, they should receive this test. During a blood lead test, a small amount of blood will be taken from your child’s finger. Contact your child’s pediatrician if your toddler has not received a blood lead test yet.
Remember, even at low levels, lead poisoning affects a child’s ability to learn and function.
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