DANVILLE, Pa. — Lead poisoning can affect anyone, but children are especially at risk. Lead dust can be anywhere, and according to Geisinger, all children are at risk for lead poisoning.
"It can affect their brain, their development, which can lead to lower IQ. It can lead to poorer school performance. It can lead to anemia. There's a whole spectrum. The higher the lead level is, the more damaging and devastating it can be for a child," said Dr. Kari Phang, who leads the lead quality improvement testing initiative at Geisinger.
Dr. Phang says lead poisoning is something she sees a lot in children.
"We've been continuing to improve our efforts, and the more children that we test, the higher number of children we've had with high lead levels," Dr. Phang said.
One common source of lead exposure is paint in homes built before 1978, as well as contaminated soil and drinking water.
This is National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, and there are steps you can take to lower your child's exposure.
Dr. Phang suggests keeping your child away from peeling or chewable surfaces and wet mopping at least once a week.
"That household dust can contain high levels of lead dust, so we should try to keep it as free of dust as possible."
- Regularly wash your child's hands and toys.
- Take off your shoes before going into your house.
- Eat a healthy diet.
"That includes iron, calcium, and fat. A healthy diet causes the body to absorb less lead."
- Use duct tape to cover chipped paint.
- Schedule a lead investigation in your house and make sure you renovate safely.
- Geisinger recommends children be tested for lead at 1 and 2 years old.
There is no cure for lead poisoning, which is why prevention is so important.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health provides resources to families to prevent and address elevated blood lead levels.
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