MONROE — Green County Public Health is recognizing National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, Oct. 24-30. The department will provide education designed to raise local awareness about the danger of lead exposure and poisoning, educate parents and communities on how to reduce exposure to lead in the environment, prevent its serious health effects, and learn about the importance of testing children for lead. 

National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The goal is to encourage organized, local community events, and empower families and other stakeholders to take action. 

About 3.3 million American households, including 2.1 million low-income households, have children under 6 years of age who live in homes with lead exposure hazards. In Green County, 3.9% of children under the age of 6 have elevated blood lead levels which is higher than the state’s average of 3.7% of children. Even relatively low levels of lead exposure can impair a child’s cognitive development. Children with blood lead levels can experience delayed growth and development, damage to the brain and nervous system, learning and behavior problems, and a host of other health-related problems. Public health actions are needed for these children. There is no safe blood lead level in children. 

Lead can be found inside and outside the home, including in the water that travels through lead pipes or in the soil around the house. However, the most common source of exposure for children is from lead-based paint, which was used in many homes built before 1978. Adults and children can get lead into their bodies by breathing in lead dust (especially during activities such as renovations, repairs, or painting) or by swallowing lead dust that settles in food, food preparation surfaces, floors, window sills, eating paint chips, soil that contains lead, or other places. 

Children can also become exposed to lead dust from adults’ jobs or hobbies and from some metal toys or toys painted with lead-based paint. Children are not exposed equally to lead, nor suffer its consequences in the same way. These disparities unduly burden minority families and low-income families and their communities. 

Parents can consult with their child’s pediatrician to learn more about routine blood lead level testing. Green County Public Health works with the families of children with elevated blood lead levels to attempt to eliminate the source of lead and provide resources and education. 

For more information on childhood lead poisoning please visit the Green County Public Health website at gcpublichealth.org or follow on Facebook @GreenCountyPublicHealth.