Dangers of lead
Lead poisoning is dangerous and can cause lasting health effects on babies and children. It is very important to prevent children from being harmed by lead.
Lead is a dangerous chemical that was used in interior household paint until 1978. If your home was built before 1978, it’s possible that there’s lead paint in your home. Lead paint is dangerous when it begins to chip, or when dust from the paint gets into the air.
Risk to children
Children younger than 6 are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning. Their growing bodies absorb more lead than adults do, and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead.
Most children who have lead poisoning get it from lead dust in homes built before 1978. When old paint cracks and peels, it creates lead dust. Lead dust from chipping paint can settle on the ground and other surfaces and get on children’s hands.
The City of Philadelphia encourages all children under age 6 to have their lead levels tested at age 1 and again at age 2. You cannot tell if your child has an elevated lead level from their behavior. The only way to know is to get them tested.
Even small amounts of lead can severely affect a child’s mental and physical development. Some of the effects of lead poisoning may never go away. At very high levels, lead exposure can be fatal.
Lead exposure can cause:
- Speech and language problems.
- Developmental delays.
- Decreased bone and muscle growth.
- Poor muscle coordination.
- Damage to the nervous system, kidneys, and/or hearing.
- Seizures and unconsciousness (in cases of extremely high lead levels).
If a child has elevated lead levels
If your child has a lead level of 3.5 ug/dL (micrograms per deciliter) or higher, a member of the Lead and Healthy Homes Program will contact you. They will come to your home to help you determine the source of the lead and what you can do to keep your family safe. This service is free.
If you are a homeowner and can’t afford the necessary repairs, the City may help you get them for free. If you rent your home, the City will work with your landlord to make the property safe for your family.
Risco na gravidez
O chumbo pode passar de uma pessoa grávida para um feto. Se você tem muito chumbo em seu corpo, ele pode:
- Coloca você em risco de aborto.
- Faça com que seu bebê nasça muito cedo ou muito pequeno.
- Machuque o cérebro, os rins e o sistema nervoso do bebê.
- Faça com que seu filho tenha problemas de aprendizagem ou de comportamento.
Se você estiver grávida, você deve:
- Evite qualquer reparo doméstico que possa colocá-lo em contato com pó de tinta com chumbo.
- Evite trabalhar em um ambiente onde você possa estar exposto ao pó de chumbo.
Risco para adultos
O chumbo é perigoso para todos, mas é muito mais perigoso para as crianças do que para os adultos.
Para adultos, o chumbo pode causar sérios danos à saúde em níveis de 40 ug/dL (microgramas por decilitro) ou mais.
Trabalhando com chumbo
A exposição de adultos geralmente ocorre quando alguém trabalha em um ambiente onde está exposto ao chumbo.
As pessoas também podem ser expostas ao chumbo por meio do uso de produtos contaminados com chumbo.
Se alguém em sua casa trabalha com pó de chumbo, peça que troque de roupa quando chegar em casa. Mantenha os sapatos de trabalho do lado de fora e lave todas as roupas de trabalho separadamente do resto da roupa da família.
Se você está preocupado com a exposição de adultos ao chumbo, converse com seu médico.