Last Updated: October 22, 2024
October 20-26 is Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. Dona Huang runs RHHD’s Lead Safe and Healthy Homes Initiative, and she says the most important prevention step is to have children checked for lead poisoning through a blood test.
“Lead poisoning can be silent,” Dona says. “There are no obvious signs of lead poisoning unless it’s already really extreme. The first thing lead impacts is the central nervous system. If it’s not discovered early, a young child can face developmental challenges.”
As the grandmother of an 18-month-old, Dona knows it can be hard to track the active movements of babies and toddlers. Understanding the risks for lead poisoning can keep a child safer:
- Older homes can contain lead-based paint and hazardous lead dust levels. If you live in a home built before 1978, the year the EPA banned lead-based paint, it’s even more important to test young children for lead poisoning. Dona says that in the Richmond Metropolitan area, young children are most at risk for lead poisoning through lead dust and lead paint exposure, because the city’s Lead Free Water program has reduced water-based lead risks.
- Lead can exist in bare soil. If your home is new, but a previous house stood on the same lot, there may still be lead dust in the soil. Dona suggests limiting the amount of time children play in bare soil, keeping outside toys outside, and encouraging lots of hand washing.
- Lead and poor nutrition don’t mix. Kids who get enough food—and especially iron, vitamin C, and calcium rich foods—are less likely to absorb high levels of lead. If you need help accessing healthy foods for children, you can reach out to RHHD’s WIC Supplemental Nutrition program.
If you have questions about lead testing for kids, you can talk to your healthcare provider, explore RHHD’s list of local pediatricians, or call the Lead Safe and Healthy Homes Initiative at 804-205-3727.
RHHD’s current Lead Safe team is Dona, Yvonne Johnson, and Scott Slagley. They support pediatricians with lead information and conduct home inspections for families with children whose blood tests show high lead levels. During Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, we are especially grateful for their hard work!
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