Lead Awareness





Preventing Childhood Lead Poisoning

What is lead poisoning?

Too much lead in the body can cause serious damage to the brain, kidneys, nervous system and red blood cells. High levels can cause retardation, convulsions, coma and sometimes death. Low levels can slow a child's normal development and cause learning and behavioral problems.

Children are more sensitive to lead poisoning than adults because their nervous systems and body organs are growing and changing rapidly. Also, children are more efficient at absorbing lead into their bodies than adults and have more hand-to-mouth activity.

How do children become lead poisoned?

Many exterior and interior house paints sold before 1978 contained lead. Many older homes have surfaces painted with lead-based paint. Lead poisoning can be caused when children eat, chew, or suck on lead painted objects such as windowsills, railings, toys, or furniture. Lead poisoning can also be caused by young children's normal hand-to-mouth activity if there is lead in the household dust or soil. Lead dust may be created as paint ages and breaks down into powdery dust. Renovation activity such as stripping, scraping, sanding, grinding, torch burning, or sandblasting old paint can also create lead dust. Dirt near busy streets may contain lead dust from cars that used leaded gasoline.

What are the symptoms of lead poisoning?

Most children have no symptoms. When children do have symptoms, the symptoms are often similar to common childhood complaints such as headaches, irritability, tiredness, lack of appetite and stomach aches. Because these symptoms are not specific, parents and physicians may not suspect lead poisoning. A blood test is the only sure way to detect lead poisoning.

Who should be tested and how often?

Screening for lead poisoning should be part of a normal health program, and children 6 years and under, should be tested at least once a year. Children ages 6 months to 3 years should be tested every 1-12 months, depending on the blood lead level, and whether they are at high or low risk for lead poisoning. Steps to prevent lead exposure in an individual child should be taken when a child's blood lead level is 15 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood (µg/dL). If a child's blood level is 20 µg/dL or higher, the child should receive medical follow-up and a home inspection.

HOUSEHOLD SOURCES OF LEAD

TIPS TO PREVENT LEAD POISONING

Legal Issues

WISCONSIN CHAPTER 151

According to Wisconsin law Chapter 151, "Prevention of Lead Poisoning or Lead Exposure,” all health professionals and laboratory directors must report blood lead test results of 25 micrograms per deciliter of blood or greater to the Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services (DUSS). The U.S. Centers for Disease Control in October 1991 stated that "blood lead levels at least as low as 10 µg/dL are associated with adverse health effects." Under Wisconsin law, DHSS is required to ado the definition of lead poisoning or lead exposure that corresponds to the specification of the Centers for Disease Control. DHSS will issue rules to adopt 10 µg/dL as the definition of lead poisoned or lead exposed.

Under Chapter 151, Wisconsin DHSS or local public health officials may inspect dwellings for the presence, location and condition of lead-bearing paints. If the DHSS (or local health agency) determines that lead-bearing paints are present in or upon any dwelling, the department may notify the owner and "issue instructions remove, replace or cover securely and permanently these paints within 30 days, in a manner the department prescribes."

If the property owner fails to correct the hazards within days, this shall be evidence of negligence in any legal action for damages or injuries. Violations are enforced by county district attorneys and subject to fines of $1,000 per day, with each day of continued violation considered as a separate offense.

WISCONSIN CHAPTER 709

As of September 1, 1992, persons who sell one-to-four family residential real estate must disclose if they are aware of unsafe concentrations of, or unsafe conditions relating to lead in paint, lead in soil or lead in water supplies or plumbing system.

WISCONSIN CHAPTER 704.07 (4)

This chapter provides tenants with rights if a property becomes untenantable because of health hazards.

Lead Paint Removal

Removing lead paint is dangerous and can cause increased lead exposure to workers and to children. You may want to find experienced and trained professionals to do the work. You must take precautions to prevent lead paint dust and debris from contaminating the air, the inside of the home or the soil outside. Capture all lead dust and debris and be sure it gets to a secure landfill. Children and pregnant women should be kept out of the work area until the work is done and the area has been thoroughly cleaned.

Preferred Lead Removal Methods

These 8 methods create less lead dust than other methods:

  1. Replace windows, windowsills, doors, porch or stair railings, banisters or other woodwork or trim with new unpainted products.

  2. Remove woodwork and send it to a business that chemically strips off the old paint.

  3. Cover interior walls or ceilings with wallboard or paneling.

  4. Cover exterior walls with vinyl or aluminum siding.

  5. Install vinyl or aluminum window sash tracks.

  6. Cover window wells with durable products (sheet metal or fiberglass cloth and adhesive).

  7. Cover floors with plywood or linoleum and stairs with rubber tread and metal edges.

  8. Cover lead painted non-friction surfaces with durable products such as fiberglass tape.

A simple low cost option is to wet down leaded paint and wet scrape it off in large pieces. This is safer than methods that generate small dust particles. Chemical paint removers create less dust in air, but the dissolved paint is hard to clean up.

Clean Up is Crucial to the Success of Any Lead Abatement Project

  1. After you have scraped and removed the loose paint, wash the surfaces with a phosphate solution (mix 1 cup automatic dishwasher detergent that contains at least 5% phosphate into a gallon of water) and then rinse with clean water before repainting (use gloves).

  2. Use a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) vacuum to remove lead dust and debris. These may be available from your local health department.

  3. Take dust wipe samples before re-occupancy to determine if cleanup has been effective.

  4. Wash hands before eating or drinking.

  5. Change work clothes and shoes before entering your car or any occupied area.

Avoid Unsafe Methods of Lead Paint Removal

Any method that attempts to remove lead paint from the underlying surface is dangerous. The following methods generate hazardous amounts of lead in the air, and are NOT recommended:

Children in homes where lead is improperly removed often experience increased lead exposure.

Where Can I Get Help if My Child Is Poisoned?

If your child has high blood lead levels, your physician will choose a treatment based on the blood test results. An important part of any treatment is to prevent future exposure to lead. Your home should be inspected inside and outside to identify the sources. If lead is found, the law requires lead hazards in paint, plaster or other material to be removed or covered.

Wisconsin Lead Information

Wisconsin Division of Health's Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program will provide information about lead screening for children. Call 608-266-1826 for this information. For environmental lead information call 608-266-5885 or 608-266-7897.

WISCONSIN LEAD TESTING RESOURCES

  • UW Soils Lab Madison 608-262-4364

  • Milwaukee 414-229-4894

Written By: Division of Health

Printed By: Wisconsin Council on Developmental Disabilities

POH 4535

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