Reading Skills for Today's Adults

Lead is harmful to adults. Lead is very harmful to children. It can cause brain damage. It can cause behavior and learning problems. It can cause slowed growth. It can cause hearing problems.

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Babies and young children like to put their hands in their mouths. They put toys and other objects in their mouths too. These things may have lead dust on them. Young children may put paint chips and dirt, or soil, in their mouths. These may have lead in them.

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Many homes built before 1978 have lead-based paint. Lead may be found inside and outside these housing units. Soil around the house may have lead-based paint in it. The soil may also have lead from other sources like past use of leaded gas in cars.

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Household dust may have lead in it. Dust can pick up lead from old lead-based paint. It can also pick up lead from soil tracked into a home. Lead can enter the body through breathing in lead dust.

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Inside or outside, peeling, chipping, chalking, or cracking lead-based paint needs to be removed. Look on windows and window sills. Look on doors and door frames. Look on stairs and railings. Look on porches and fences.

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Young, growing bodies absorb lead easily. Keep your family safe from lead inside and outside your home.