Things You Should Know:

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 11, or 9.1% of children in America have high levels of lead in their blood. Lead does not naturally break down and remains in the body. It can be found in the dust, paint, and soil inside and around your home, in your food, and in your drinking water -- you probably don't know it because you cannot see, taste, nor smell the lead.

Lead exposure is especially harmful to young children and babies before they are born. Adults and healthy children are at less risk but can still have high levels of lead. Because lead is not eliminated naturally, it builds up in the body in fatty tissues and in the blood.

Effects of Lead in Children include . . .

• Hearing problems
• Behavior and learning problems
• Slowed Growth
• Damage to the brain and nervous system
• Headaches
• Excessive allergy sensitivity

The symptoms below have been linked to lead poisoning:

• ADDS (Attention Deficit Disorder Syndrome)
• Dyslexia
• Hyperactivity
• Mental Retardation
• multiple allergy reactions
• speech and hearing difficulties
• other psychological disorders

After chealation therapy (pronounced "key-lay-shun") many have returned to normal or symptoms were greatly reduced. Chealation therapy was first used to eliminate lead from workers in lead mines, and is used today to eliminate many types of heavy metals from the body.

Effects of Lead in Adults include . . .

• Difficulties during pregnancy
• Reproductive problems in men and women
• High blood pressure
• Digestive problems
• Nerve disorders
• Memory and concentration problems
• Muscle and joint pain
• Headaches
• EXCESSIVE allergy sensitivity

In extreme cases, lead poisoning has caused severe illness, leading to temporary blindness, paralysis, coma, and death.

To protect your family, you should have your home tested for lead, reduce lead hazards in your home, and eat a healthy diet that is low in fat.

You, and your children over age one, should be tested for blood-lead levels. Low levels of 10 to 14 micrograms per deciliter of blood can cause problems, especially for children; levels over 15 mg/dl can be serious.

Homes built before 1978 may have lead-based paint. Homes built before 1960 probably have lead-based paint. Before 1960, lead-based paint had a much higher concentration of lead. Lead from paint, paint-chips, and dust from the paint can cause serious health problems if not taken care of properly.

U.S. Laws concerning lead paint

In 1996, the USA Federal Government passed laws that make it mandatory that individuals receive specific information about lead before they buy, rent, or renovate housing built before 1978.