A. Lead damages children's developing brains and nervous system. The effects are not reversible. The most prominent health effects of lead poisoning in children include:

• Reduced IQ and cognitive functioning.
• Learning disabilities including speech and language delays, difficulty with math and reading skills, nonverbal reasoning and short-term memory loss.
• Behavioral problems including attention deficit, hyperactivity, and aggression. (There is growing evidence that links lead poisoning with an increased rate of juvenile delinquency.)
• Interference with red blood cell formation leading to anemia.
• Hearing loss.

A. The most common source of lead poisoning is deteriorated lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust in older homes. All homes built before 1978, and especially those built before 1950, are presumed to contain lead paint. In general, the older the house, the greater the concentration of lead one can expect to find in the paint. Unsafe remodeling and renovation practices can greatly increase the risk of exposure to lead dust. Surfaces that are subject to impact, such as floors and doors, or those subject to friction, such as windows, are the most frequent source of lead-contaminated dust exposure for children.

Other sources include lead-contaminated soil, parental occupations or hobbies that involve exposure to lead, water contamination from lead solders or pipes in older homes, and vinyl mini-blinds purchased before July 1997.

A. Despite suffering the effects of lead poisoning, the majority of children with lead poisoning will have no obvious symptoms. However, symptoms may include:

• Irritability
• Headaches
• Vomiting
• Seizures
• Anemia/fatigue
• Loss of appetite and/or weight loss
• Stomachaches and cramping/constipation

A. Get your child tested! Under federal law, children enrolled in Medicaid are entitled to receive early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment (EPDST). Current screening policy requires Medicaid children to be tested for lead at 1 and 2 years of age. All Medicaid children under the age of 6 years are entitled to receive a blood test for lead if they have not been tested before age 2 years. Unfortunately, only a fraction of eligible children currently receive these tests. In 2003, only 31% of Medicaid-enrolled children had a blood lead screening test before the age of 6 years. If you are a parent of a Medicaid child under the age of 6 years, be sure to know your rights and discuss them with your child's physician.

Children not eligible for Medicaid who are under the age of six years who live in pre-1978 housing or attend a day care center built before 1978 should be tested. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics highly recommend that children have a blood lead test at 1 and 2 years. If necessary, lead testing should be repeated at 3 through 6 years.

Pay attention to your child's diet!

All children, especially those at risk of lead poisoning, should eat healthy meals and snack at regular intervals. Diets should be rich in calcium (milk and dairy products) and iron (cereals, dark green vegetables, meats). Avoid giving your child a lot of high-fat foods.

Other ways to limit lead exposure:

• Wash your child's hands, toys and horizontal surfaces in the home frequently, especially before eating. Use disposable towels and then throw them away to avoid spreading the lead.
• Take your shoes off at the door to avoid spreading lead-contaminated soil throughout the house.
• Let water run cold before drinking, cooking or mixing formula.
• Cover bare soil with plants or woods chips.
• Vacuum dusty and dirty areas with a HEPA vacuum. A regular vacuum will not hold lead dust.
• Learn how to superclean your home to prevent lead exposure.
• If you are a homeowner, learn Lead Safe Work Practices to avoid inadvertently creating additional sources of exposure for your child.

A. No. The law requires that you be notified of the hazard and given 90 days to make a good faith effort to reduce the hazard.

A. Once a child has been identified as being lead-poisoned, a property owner or manager must hire a certified lead abatement contractor to remediate the hazard. It is extremely dangerous to attempt to remove lead-based paint if you are not trained to do so. Improper removal can actually increase the risk of harm to the occupants of the property. However, landlords who attend and complete training in lead-safe work practices can perform work on the property to safeguard the occupants from lead poisoning before the property is rented to a family with young children. No child should ever be permitted on the property while the lead hazard is being reduced.

A. Yes. Once a child has been identified as lead-poisoned, and a property has been found to be hazardous, the hazard must be reduced, whether or not a family with children occupies it.

A. Fortunately, there are places you can turn to for help. There are low interest government loans and grant funds to assist property owners in reducing lead hazards. Many of the programs are administered by LEAP Detroit (see Contacts listed above).