Lead poisoning found in children from household dust.

by Katie E. Boyle, MPH

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​Lead poisoning in children causes serious impairments to neurological and physical development, and the damage is permanent. Lead poisoning most commonly occurs by ingestion of small particles of lead paint in household dust. Children encounter the lead dust by crawling and putting their hands and toys coated in lead dust into their mouths.  Ingestion of lead via eating paint chips, drinking contaminated water and inhalation of airborne dust are other routes of exposure.  Here are some general truths about the most common route of childhood exposure to lead:

• If you own a home built prior to 1978, it's a good idea to have your home tested for lead. Paint used prior to the 1970's contained lead; most paint today does not. If your home is older and you are not sure the history of interior paint in your home, assume you have lead paint, most likely beneath other layers of newer paint.
• If you have chipping paint anywhere (doors, windows, baseboards, etc.), it's very important to have it tested for lead and either removed or encased (covered with new paint). However, before embarking on any sanding or resurfacing projects....see next bullet:
• Dust from home renovations is a health concern for all exposed and 'wet methods' should always be used to keep dust and airborne particulates to a minimum. When lead paint is part of a renovation of the home or your child's day care or school, work should be done by an EPA Lead-Safe Certified contractor (found at links listed at bottom).
• Lead paint that is completely encapsulated underneath newer layers of paint (i.e. no chipping) is generally safe, but concerns arise during renovations.
• Besides encasing the lead paint, regular cleaning of dust using wet mops and using a vacuum with a HEPA filter is a great way to reduce your family's exposure to lead and other contaminants and allergens in household dust. A good HEPA filter can contain almost all airborne particulates; a vacuum without a HEPA filter can send the smaller particles right back out into the air. Why waste your time and effort?

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More facts about lead poisoning specific to Connecticut can be found here.
A great fact sheet on HEPA filters from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board is here.
EPA list of Lead-Safe Certified contractors by state here.