What is lead?

Lead is a naturally occurring toxic metal. While it can be found in our environment, it serves no purpose in the body, and interferes with the function of organs such as the kidneys, muscles and brain. While our bodies can eliminate many other toxins through metabolism and excretion, we have no ability to purge lead.

 Where can lead be found in our daily environments?

Lead has been used in a number of products over the years. As national and global health authorities have learned more about the dangers of lead poisoning, more regulations have been enacted to control where lead can be found. But we still have many lead hazards that could pose a threat to children here in Virginia.

The most common source of lead exposure that is likely to impact children in the Fredericksburg region is lead paint. While lead was banned in paint in the U.S. in 1978, about half of homes built before that year have lead-based paint, and the likelihood of lead paint being present increases with the age of the home.

 

Intact lead paint may not pose a danger, but any lead paint that is chipping or peeling is a threat, as chips can be ingested by children. Lead paint on high-friction surfaces such as entryways and windowsills also poses a threat, as these surfaces often throw off lead dust that children can ingest as they play on the floor and put objects and hands in their mouths.

 

 

 

In addition to paint in homes, lead can also be found in:

·       Water contaminated with lead from lead service lines and leaded plumbing or fixtures.

·       Soil contaminated by leaded gasoline or lead-based paint around the exterior of a home.

·       Consumer products such as toys and jewelry, especially those that are old, “antique” or imported.

·       Traditional medicines or cosmetics, particularly imported cosmetics such as kohl and sindoor, and some traditional medicines, such as greta or ghasard, used in countries such as India, Mexico and Vietnam.

·       Imported candy and spices.

·       Ceramics or pottery used to serve or store food that is coated with glaze that contains lead.

 

Parents engaging in specific jobs and hobbies can also accidentally bring lead into the home. Jobs in construction or demolition, battery recycling, smelting or working at or visiting a shooting range have the potential for lead exposure. Hobbies such as stained-glass making, hunting or fishing and pottery can also expose individuals to lead.

Who is most at risk for lead poisoning?

 

Children under age 6 are at the highest risk. This is because they are rapidly growing and developing, and lead exposure can interfere with these processes. They also spend a lot of time on their hands and knees, and put objects and their hands in their mouths. This is exactly what kids this age should be doing, so it’s important to ensure their environment is free of lead. The bodies of young children absorb lead at a faster rate than those of adults. Even small amounts of lead are dangerous to young children.

 

Because we have the ability to remediate the most common source of lead exposure for young children—lead in the home—childhood lead poisoning is considered the most preventable environmental disease among young children.

 

How does lead exposure impact children?

 

Lead exposure in early childhood can have many negative health impacts, including:

·       Brain and nervous-system damage.

·       Hearing and speech problems.

·       Learning and attention issues.

·       Slowed growth and development.

 

The impacts of childhood lead exposure have long-term effects throughout a child’s life. Children exposed to lead at a young age may start to fall behind their peers at school because of slowed growth and development and learning and behavior issues. This underperformance at school can cause wider-ranging impacts, including social isolation and challenges fitting in with peers.

 

How can I tell if my child has been exposed to lead?

 

The symptoms of childhood lead exposure are not often visibly apparent, as most children have no immediate symptoms. But the impacts can be long-lasting. This is why parents who believe their children may have been exposed to lead in any amount should contact their healthcare provider to get a blood lead test.

 

Blood lead testing is recommended for children at ages 1 and 2, or up to age 6 if a child has not previously been tested. All children enrolled in or eligible for Medicaid or the WIC program should receive a blood lead test at ages 1 or 2.

 

The earlier you test, and potentially remediate any lead exposure your child may have, the less impact this toxin will have on your child.

 

How can I prevent lead exposure at home?

 

Tips for reducing exposure in the home include:

·       Wet-wipe and wet-mop around windowsills and entryways on a daily basis.

·       Wash children’s hands and toys regularly.

·       Do not allow children to play in bare soil. If they do, wash their hands and clothes immediately.

·       Cook nutrient-dense meals full of iron, calcium and vitamin C. Nutrition deficiencies have been linked with higher lead absorption, and a full stomach absorbs less lead than an empty one.

·       Ask adults who participate in jobs and hobbies that put them at risk for lead exposure to remove their shoes before entering the home, and to change clothes immediately after returning home.

·       When performing renovations, use an EPA-certified lead contractor for all renovation and repair projects that could disturb lead-based paint or other lead hazards in the home.

 

Build a lead-fighting diet

 

Reduce your child’s risk of absorbing lead from the environment by serving foods rich in iron, calcium and vitamin C.

 

Power Foods:

Iron: lean red meats, beans and lentils, tofu, whole grains, fish, chicken, turkey.

Calcium: milk and yogurt, cheese, tofu, kale, spinach.

Vitamin C: Citrus fruits, berries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kiwi, melons.

Lead can come from unexpected sources

 

In 2023, multiple reports of children with elevated blood lead levels lead the FDA to discover elevated lead levels in apple cinnamon applesauce pouches. This led to a recall of cinnamon applesauce pouches sold under the WanaBana, Schnucks and Weis brand names in November 2023. The FDA traced the lead contamination to the cinnamon in these products, and the contaminated products were removed from the market.

 

It's always a good idea to check periodically for recalls, as lead is sometimes found in surprising places. A good source is www.cpsc.gov/recalls.

Health District Helps Parents Find and Eliminate Sources of Lead

 

Growing up in a 1930s home on Franklin Street near downtown Fredericksburg, Alyce Finch had no idea about the potential dangers that the lead paint in her treasured family home posed. But today, as a public health nurse for the Rappahannock Area Health District (RAHD) and leader of the district’s newcomer health program, Finch helps families understand how to be vigilant about potential lead risks—especially in a community that once billed itself as “America’s Most Historic City.”

 

“We do have a lot of older housing here,” Finch said. “And even if you are in a newer home, your kids may be staying with family or caregivers that may contain different lead risks.”

 

Finch experienced this worry when her own children began staying with her parents in her childhood home—she made sure to have her children’s blood lead levels tested to ensure they weren’t at risk.

 

The blood lead test—which involves drawing a small amount of blood from a finger prick or a vein—is the first step for any parent wondering whether lead exposure is a problem. This test should be performed by a health provider on children ages 1 and 2, and can be performed up to age 6 if a child hasn’t been previously tested, since children ages 6 and under are at the highest risk for the negative impacts of lead exposure.

 

You will likely receive a call from your provider with results within a couple of days. For results showing elevated blood lead levels, parents will receive a call from Finch or her colleagues at the RAHD.

 

Finch and other public health nurses talk to parents whose children have demonstrated elevated blood lead levels, asking a series of questions to try to narrow down where the lead exposure is coming from.

 

In addition to lead paint in old homes, Finch talks to parents about how particular jobs, such as gunsmithing, construction, smelting or battery recycling, can expose them to lead, and how imported toys, cosmetics, medicines or spices can also be a source.

 

“We want to identify where the lead is coming from. Often, it is the older houses, but with young children, you know, they put their hands on everything. So sometimes it could be that it’s not an older house, but lead is in the soil, because there was an older house on that lot previously,” she said.

 

She refers parents to the Lead Safe resources at vdh.virginia.gov/leadsafe and also asks them to check product recalls with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, as these can sometimes be a source of lead exposure.

 

She also talks about nutrition, and how getting more calcium, iron and vitamin C in the diet can help decrease blood lead levels.

 

She encourages parents to have another blood lead test to see how things are changing. The timeframe for this follow-up blood lead test depends on the child’s blood lead level.

 

Over the years, Finch has noticed that good prevention of lead exposure in children is grounded in solid preventative care. She encourages parents to understand their eligibility for Medicaid, WIC and other programs that can connect them with resources such as nutrition counseling if needed.

 

And when transportation or other barriers keep parents from getting regular well checks for children, Finch refers them to Unite Us, a service that helps individuals learn to access community health resources such as Medicaid transportation, housing assistance and more. This can be found at vdh.virginia.gov/rappahannock/rahd-assistance/.

 

More than anything, Finch wants parents to know that RAHD can be a resource for helping them identify potential sources of lead contamination and finding the resources in the community that could help them mitigate those sources.

 

“I want them to know that we are here to help,” she said.

State Program Can Help With Cost of Lead Removal

 

The Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that 38 million American homes (40% of all housing units) contain some lead-based paint that was applied before the residential use of lead paint was banned in 1978.

 

For many homeowners, the prospect of remediating lead hazards can be daunting, but a HUD-funded program administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) can help.

 

DHCD’s Lead Hazard Reduction Program administers HUD funds to remediate lead-based paint hazards in eligible households.

 

To be eligible, a home must be built before 1978. For owner-occupied households, to qualify, a child under the age of 6 must be permanently living in the home, visiting twice or more per week, or an expecting mother must be living in the home.

 

“Our priority is to serve children with elevated blood lead levels, but we serve any household with young children who are living with lead hazards,” said Susan Hill, Lead Hazard Reduction Program manager with DHCD.

 

Rental properties built before 1978 can be eligible for assistance without having a child present, because they turn over and could house children in the future, Hill said, “But we’d ask that landlord to prioritize renting to a young family.”

 

The program also has income stipulations on eligibility. Homeowners must make 80% or less of the area median household income. For the city of Fredericksburg, that would be at or below $97,800 per year for a household of 4.

 

“Once we’ve done our initial lead inspection and risk assessment, we are able to determine exactly where there is lead-based paint in the home and then on what surfaces it is deteriorating,” Hill said. “Our risk assessment also tests dust samples throughout the house as well as soil and water.”

 

The program then engages contractors certified in lead-safe practices to remove or stabilize lead hazards found in the home. One of the most common repairs the lead hazard reduction program makes is the replacement of windows, since windows with lead paint can throw off lead-contaminated dust and chips.

 

The program also ensures that lead-based paint has been removed from other high-friction surfaces such as doorways. Grant money can also pay for temporary lodging if families need to relocate during the work.

 

Once the work is complete, program administrators perform a clearance test, taking dust wipe samples from the same places the hazards were first located to ensure the home is now lead-safe.

 

The inspection process also leaves homeowners with a document that shows where lead paint is present in their home.

 

“If they have any future plans to renovate, they will know if they’ll be disturbing any lead-based paint,” Hill said.

 

Since its inception, the program has remediated lead in 97 Virginia homes. To start an application or learn more, visit dhcd.virginia.gov/lhr.

 

“We are proud to offer this critical public health resource,” Hill said, “and we want eligible families to take advantage of it.”

This information has been brought to you by the

Virginia Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program