What is lead poisoning?
Lead poisoning is when a person’s health or body functions are negatively affected by lead contamination in what they eat, drink, touch, or breathe.
The long-term health effects of lead in children can be severe. Even small amounts can impact a child’s healthy development. Research has demonstrated that childhood exposure to unsafe lead levels can cause learning disabilities, decreased growth, hyperactivity, dizziness, clumsiness, impaired hearing, brain damage, paralysis, and convulsions. In pregnant women, lead exposure can pass through the body to the unborn child, resulting in miscarriage or birth defects.
If you are concerned that you or a family member have been exposed to lead, contact your health care provider to get a blood lead test. Based on the results of the test, actions can be taken to reduce further exposure to lead and connect you to recommended treatment and services.
Lead poisoning is 100% preventable.
Is there any safe level of lead for a child?
No safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Children are especially at risk from lead because of their small size and developing brains. Lead exposure can affect nearly every system in the body.
A blood lead test is the most common way to find out if your child has been exposed to lead and has a detectable blood lead level. Most children with detectable levels of lead in their blood have no obvious symptoms. Talk with your child’s doctor about a simple blood lead test. If you are pregnant or nursing, talk with your doctor about exposure to sources of lead.
There is no cure for lead poisoning. That is why preventing exposure to lead, especially among children, is important. Finding and removing sources of lead from the child’s environment is needed to prevent further exposure.
Where might my child or I be exposed to lead?
Young children often put toys, fingers, and other objects in their mouth as part of their normal development. This may put them in contact with lead paint or dust.
One common way children can be exposed to lead is through contact with chips and dust in buildings and homes from old lead paint. Children can be directly exposed to lead if they swallow chipped pieces of leaded paint. But their exposure is more common from swallowing house dust or soil contaminated by leaded paint. This happens when lead paint peels and cracks, resulting in tiny bits of lead dust that embed in the dust and soil in and around homes; for example, when leaded paint is old or worn, or is subject to constant rubbing (as on doors and windowsills and wells). In addition, lead can be scattered when paint is disturbed during building destruction or remodeling, paint removal, or preparation of painted surfaces for repainting.
Lead paint or dust are not the only ways children can come into contact with lead. Other sources include:
traditional home health remedies such as azarcon and greta
imported candy and candy wrappers
imported toys and toy jewelry
imported cosmetics
pottery and ceramics
drinking water contaminated by lead leaching from lead pipes, solder, brass fixtures, or valves
consumer products, including tea kettles and vinyl miniblinds
A variety of work and hobby activities expose adults to lead, including using an indoor firing range, making home repairs, remodeling a home, and making pottery. When adults whose jobs expose them to lead wear their work clothes home or wash them with the family laundry, their families can be exposed to lead. Families can also be exposed when adults bring scrap or waste material home from work.
Why is lead testing important for my child?
How do I get the water, dust, or soil at my residence tested?
If you are concerned about lead in your tap water and want to find out about having your water tested, contact Citizens at (317) 924-3311. You can also contact EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Act Hotline at (800) 427-4701.
Online Resources
There are many resources about lead and lead poisoning available online. We have sorted through them and provided links to some of the best material.
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Sign up to request a free water, dust, and soil test at your residence
Researchers at IUPUI are currently looking for community members who would like to participate as citizen scientists in a lead testing project working towards making Indianapolis healthier and safer, particularly for children.
As citizen scientists, you will be give a lead testing kit, so that you can collect soil, dust, and water samples from your residence. An IUPUI laboratory will test the samples and return a report on levels of lead in your household.
In 2020, researchers will distribute lead testing kits to residents living south of 38th St., north of 16th St., west of Meridian St., and east of Kessler Blvd.
If you would like to participate as a citizen scientist in this research project, please fill out this form.
About This Research project
Lead testing is being done as part of The Anthropocene Household Project, which is funded by Indiana University’s Prepared for Environmental Change Grand Challenges Initiative. The Anthropocene Household partners with the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Testing Institute (CTSI), Indianapolis Ministerium, Good to the SOUL, IUPUI Center for Urban Health, and IUPUI School of Science.
For more information about The Anthropocene Household, you can visit us at: iahi.iupui.edu
For questions, feel free to reach out to us at: iahi@iupui.edu