Giving your home a clean bill of health
Health Effects of Lead
People can get lead in their body if they:
- Put their hands or other objects covered with lead dust in
their mouths.
- Eat paint chips or soil that contains lead.
- Breathe in lead dust (especially during renovations that disturb
painted surfaces).
- Lead is even more dangerous to children than adults because:
- Babies and young children often put their hands
and other objects in their mouths. These objects can have lead dust on them.
- Children's growing bodies absorb more lead.
- Children's brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead.
- If not detected early, children with high
levels of lead in their bodies can suffer from:
- Damage to the brain and nervous system
- Behavior and learning problems
(such as hyperactivity)
- Slowed growth
- Hearing problems
- Headaches
- Lead is also harmful to adults. Adults can suffer from:
- Difficulties during pregnancy
- Other reproductive problems (in both men and women)
- High blood pressure
- Digestive problems
- Nerve
disorders
- Memory and concentration problems
- Muscle and joint pain