Lead Poison Prevention
According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), "at least 4 million households" have children that are being exposed to high levels of lead. No level of lead in blood is safe for children. "Lead exposure can affect nearly every system in the body," the CDC notes. "Because lead exposure often occurs with no obvious symptoms, it frequently goes unrecognized."
The good news is lead poisoning is preventable! Parents should be aware of the sources of lead. The most common, according to Alameda County Healthy Homes, are paint and soil. Other less common sources of lead are:
Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)
Persistent Poison: Lead’s Toxic Legacy in the Bay Area
KALW Public Radio's news magazine Crosscurrents featured this four-part series on what Alameda County is doing to address high lead levels found in older houses and among vulnerable residents, particularly children, living in them.