Lead is a highly toxic metal that has been used for many years in products found in and around our homes. Even small amounts of lead slow a child's development and cause learning and behavior problems. A child may have lead poisoning and not feel sick.
How does lead affect children?
Children under the age of 6 are most at risk from lead poisoning. Lead is especially harmful to developing brain and nervous system of children under 6 years old. Even at low levels of exposure, lead can affect a child’s learning, behavior and growth, leading to:
- Decreased intelligence
- Behavioral problems
- Decreased growth
- Impaired hearing
- Decreased ability to maintain steady posture
What happens to children exposed to high levels of lead? Children who are exposed to moderate or high levels of lead can suffer damage to their brains and nervous systems, liver, and kidneys. High levels of lead can lead to:
- Deafness
- Blindness
- Coma
- Convulsions
- Death (in rare cases)
Lead-exposed children are more likely to have:
- Reading difficulties
- Poor vocabulary
- Attention problems
- Poor fine-motor coordination
- Greater school absenteeism
- Lower class ranking
- Greater risk of not graduating from school