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Project LEAD
Lead
Lead has long been recognized
as a harmful environmental pollutant. In late 1991, the Secretary of
the Department of Health and Human Services called lead the "number
one environmental threat to the health of children in the United
States."
Sources of lead
There are many ways in which
humans are exposed to lead: through air, drinking water, food,
contaminated soil, deteriorating paint, and dust. Airborne lead
enters the body when an individual breathes or swallows lead
particles or dust once it has settled. Before it was known how
harmful lead could be, it was used in paint, gasoline, water pipes,
and many other products.
Old lead-based paint is the
most significant source of lead exposure in the U.S. today. Harmful
exposures to lead can be created when lead-based paint is improperly
removed from surfaces by dry scraping, sanding, or open-flame
burning. High concentrations of airborne lead particles in homes can
also result from lead dust from outdoor sources, including
contaminated soil tracked inside.
Abatement should never be attempted by
untrained parents, property owners, or contractors.
Health Effects
Lead affects practically all
systems within the body. Lead at high levels can cause convulsions,
coma, and even death. Lower levels of lead can cause adverse health
effects on the central nervous system, kidney, and blood cells.
The effects of lead exposure on fetuses and young
children can be severe. They include delays in physical and mental
development, lower IQ levels, shortened attention spans, and
increased behavioral problems. Fetuses, infants, and children are
more vulnerable to lead exposure than adults since lead is more
easily absorbed into growing bodies, and the tissues of small
children are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead.
Children may have higher exposures since they are
more likely to get lead dust on their hands and then put their
fingers or other contaminated objects into their mouths.
Health problems can develop soon after
exposure, or many years later. They may include:
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Brain and
Nervous System:
Permanent brain damage and
personality changes can occur.
¨
Heart and
Blood:
Lead can cause anemia (making you feel
weak and tired) and high blood pressure.
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Kidneys:
Permanent damage can occur.
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Digestive
System:
Nausea, constipation, diarrhea,
cramps, lack of appetite, and pain.
¨
Reproductive System:
Lead can affect both a woman’s
eggs and a man’s sperm. Results can be reduced sex drive,
infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, and birth defects.
¨
Bones:
Lead
stored in the bones can go back into the bloodstream if you are
under stress, sick, or pregnant.
Steps to reduce exposure to lead
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Keep areas where children
play as dust-free and clean as possible.
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Leave lead-based paint
undisturbed if it is in good condition; do not sand or burn off
paint that may contain lead.
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Do not remove lead paint
yourself.
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Do not bring lead dust
into the home.
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If your work or hobby
involves lead, change clothes and use doormats before entering
your home.
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Eat a balanced diet, rich
in calcium and iron.
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Test children for blood
lead levels at ages 1 and 2 or at least once by age 6.
Where to get Children Tested for lead Poisoning
Children can get free
blood lead testing through the La Crosse County Health Department.
Call Public Health Nursing at 785-9723 or the WIC Clinic at
785-9865. Testing can also be done through your child’s regular
medical provider and is most often covered by medical assistance and
insurance.
For more information
www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/nlic.htm
http://www.stanford.edu/dept/EHS/prod/general/asbestoslead/leadfactsheet.html
http://www.epa.gov/lead/index.html
http://www-group.slac.stanford.edu/esh/hazardous_substances/lead/policies.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/publications/books/plpyc/chapter3.htm#Lead-Based%20Paint
Location and Contact info
Health and Human Services Building – 2nd
Floor
300 4th Street North
La Crosse, WI 54601
Phone – 608-785-9771
Office hours – 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM Weekdays
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