It’s no secret that very young children love to put things in their mouths. It’s how they learn about the world around them. While this is a very natural part of development, you must ensure that nothing dangerous winds up in baby’s mouth. We know, of course, to keep poisons and medicines out of baby’s reach. If you live in an older home, did you know that many houses built in the early 1900s might were exposed to lead, which was commonly added to paint and other building materials?
If ingested, lead can cause significant health problems, including learning and behavioral problems, hearing loss, digestive problems and anemia. The younger a child is or the more that he or she ingests, the more severe the complications. Though rare, this can be such a serious condition that many state health departments and pediatricians require routine testing of all young children at certain points in their development, especially if they live in older homes.
Screening Your Home for Lead
All new and expectant parents should screen their homes for lead, particularly if they were built before 1977. Contact your local health department for a referral to an experienced inspector. Your city’s housing department or the National Lead Information Center can help you find contractors who are qualified to remove it.