Lead poisoning is entirely preventable, and a few simple steps this fall can protect a child for life. National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week runs October 25–31, and this year's theme, "Keep Kids Safe from Lead," comes down to three actions: get the facts, get your child tested, and get your home tested.
Why does this matter close to home? Lead is a toxic metal that can harm a child's developing brain and body, and children under 6 are the most vulnerable. Many children who have been exposed show no symptoms at all, so a family can't count on spotting a problem by sight. Across the country, the Centers for Disease Control estimates that about 2.6 million households with young children have lead-based paint hazards. Our communities, many of which have older homes, are not exempt.
The Uncas Health District is marking the week by sharing what every parent, grandparent, caregiver, and landlord should know. Here is how to put each of the three messages to work.
Get the Facts
The most common source of lead exposure for children is paint. Homes built before 1978, when lead-based paint was banned for residential use, may still have it. Connecticut's own childhood lead surveillance data point the same way: deteriorated lead paint is the most common source found when the state investigates a child's home.
It usually isn't a child chewing on a painted wall. More often, old paint on windows, doors, and porches wears down into fine dust that settles on floors and sills. Babies and toddlers put their hands and toys in their mouths, and that dust goes with them. Lead can also be found in:
- Soil near older buildings, especially around the foundation, where exterior paint has flaked away
- Household dust, which can be stirred up by renovation, sanding, or opening and closing old windows
- Drinking water, where older plumbing, lead service lines, or fixtures contain lead
- Certain imported items, such as some traditional remedies, cosmetics, ceramics, and toys
The health effects are what make this worth acting on. Lead can affect learning, attention, and behavior, and the damage cannot be reversed. There is no known safe level of lead in a child's blood. That is why Connecticut lowered its blood lead reference value from 5 to 3.5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL) on January 1, 2023, so more children are identified early, while there is still time to act.
Get Your Child Tested
A blood lead test is the only way to know whether a child has been exposed. Because most children with elevated lead levels look and act healthy, the test, not a checklist of symptoms, is what finds the problem.
Connecticut requires universal blood lead screening. According to the state's guidance for health care providers, children should be tested every year between 9 and 35 months of age. Children ages 36 to 72 months who have never been tested should be tested, as should older children at higher risk, including those enrolled in Medicaid or living in a town with elevated risk factors. Any child under 6 can be tested if a provider has a concern.
The test itself is quick. A nurse or doctor takes a small blood sample, often from a finger prick. If the result is at or above 3.5 mcg/dL, a second sample from a vein is drawn to confirm it, and the child is retested on a schedule until the level comes down. Results below 3.5 mcg/dL do not require follow-up testing, but it's a good time to talk with your provider about keeping the number low.
What to do next:
- Ask at your child's next checkup whether a lead test is on file, especially around ages 1 and 2
- If you aren't sure, call your pediatrician's office and ask for the date and result
- If a test comes back elevated, follow your provider's retesting schedule and contact us. The health district works with the state and your provider to look for the source in the home
A higher-than-normal result is not a reason to panic. Families who find out early can remove the source, improve nutrition (foods with iron, calcium, and vitamin C help limit lead absorption), and keep a close watch on retests.
Get Your Home Tested
The quickest first check is the year your home was built. If it went up before 1978, it may contain lead-based paint, and the risk is highest where paint is chipping, peeling, or rubbing against itself, such as window frames, door jambs, stairs, and porches.
To find out for sure, hire a certified lead inspector or risk assessor, who can test paint, dust, and soil. Home test kits from a hardware store can be a starting point, but they can miss lead, so a professional result is the one to rely on. Drinking water is tested separately. Contact your public water supplier or a state-certified laboratory to ask about testing, particularly if you have older plumbing or a private well.
A few ground rules for homes that may have lead paint:
- Don't sand, scrape, or burn off old paint yourself. It creates exactly the dust that harms children
- For renovations or repairs in a pre-1978 home, hire a contractor certified in lead-safe work practices
- Keep children and pregnant women out of the work area until it has been cleaned up properly
- Renters and buyers have rights too: landlords and sellers of pre-1978 housing must disclose any known lead-based paint hazards
If testing finds lead, you have options that don't always mean a full gut job. Repairing peeling paint, covering surfaces, replacing worn windows, and thorough cleaning can all reduce the risk. A licensed lead abatement professional can advise on what makes sense for your home.
Steps You Can Take Today
While you wait for test results or schedule an inspection, everyday habits make a real difference:
- Wash children's hands before meals, naps, and bedtime, and wash toys and pacifiers often
- Wet-mop floors and wipe window sills and other flat surfaces with a damp cloth. Dry sweeping and vacuuming without a HEPA filter can spread dust
- Take shoes off at the door so lead in soil stays outside
- Run cold tap water for 30 seconds to two minutes before using it for drinking or cooking if the water has sat in the pipes for hours, and use only cold water for baby formula and cooking
- Serve regular meals with iron, calcium, and vitamin C, which help the body absorb less lead
- Check for recalls of children's products and avoid imported items, including some cosmetics, spices, and remedies, if you aren't sure what is in them
Where to Get Help
This week, pick one action: check your child's lead test record, look up the age of your home, or share this post with a neighbor who has young children. Each one is a small step toward a lead-safe community.
- Uncas Health District: 860-823-1189, 401 West Thames Street, Suite 106, Norwich
- Connecticut DPH Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program: 860-509-7299
- National Lead Information Center: 1-800-424-LEAD (5323)
- Your child's pediatrician: for testing, results, and follow-up
