What Anticipatory Guidance Can I Provide Families on Preventing Lead Exposures?   

Here are some general steps to reduce lead exposure from common sources you may share with families.     

• Test your home for lead. If the family’s home was built before 1978—especially before 1960—encourage them to have it tested for lead hazards. If they don’t know how old their home is, assume there is lead. Some state and local health departments have resources for families on how to test for lead. You may also refer them to EPA’s Lead-based Paint Professional Locator to find a certified lead inspector in their area.   
• Renovate Right. If they live in an older home with known or suspected lead-based paint, educate families on safe ways to make repairs. Home repairs and renovations can create dust and debris that have lead, which is a common source of exposure in pregnant women and children. Stress the importance of using a lead-safe certified contractor or closely following guidelines in the EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting webpage if doing the work themselves. If work is not done safely, harmful exposures can occur.  
• Keep your children away from chipping or peeling paint, especially near windowsills, doorways, trim, and porches. Children may ingest paint chips or dust on purpose or by accident, which can lead to acute lead poisoning. Advise families to cover peeling paint with contact paper or keep children away until it can be safely removed. If they rent, advise them to notify their landlord of the need for lead-safe repairs. Landlords are legally required to repair lead problems in properties occupied by children.   
• Stay safe from lead in soil. Lead from chipping lead paint from buildings is the most common source of lead in soil. Advise families on steps to keep outside dirt from getting inside. These may include:  
  • Planting grass or applying mulch or wood chips to cover bare soil in their yard.  
  • Using doormats at entryways.  
  • Not wearing shoes inside.   
  • Wiping pets’ paws before they enter the house.  
  • Take care not to bring soil on clothes, shoes, or tools inside after gardening. Have children wear gloves to garden and wash their hands afterward.  The soil in some areas may be contaminated with lead from past land uses (e.g., mining, industrial release, improper waste disposal, shooting range). Clinicians can direct families to local public health or environmental departments if this is a concern in their community.   
  • Clean regularly to remove dust and dirt inside. Educate on the importance of keeping the places where the child spends time free of dirt and dust. Advise families to   
  • Wipe down floors and other hard surfaces with a damp mop or sponge to trap dust and dirt. Use a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter for carpets.   
  • Wash toys, blankets, and other objects the child puts in their mouth regularly.  
  • Help with handwashing. Washing with soap and water removes lead from hands. Hand sanitizer kills germs but does not remove lead. Advise families to wash their infant or young child’s hands frequently, especially after playing outside and before eating or napping. Encourage families to teach proper handwashing techniques and supervise older children.   
  • Leave lead at work. If a household member’s work or hobbies involve lead, provide education on how to prevent take-home exposures. Advise the household member to change clothes and shoes before entering the home, keep their clothes at work or wash them as soon as possible, Wash all work clothes separately, and shower soon after returning home before playing with children.   
  • Use only cold tap water to mix formula, drink, or cook. Lead can be in water due to lead pipes, solder, or old faucets. If possible, encourage families to test the water from the faucet they use for cooking and drinking. Direct them to EPA’s website Protect Your Tap for information on how to test their water for lead. If they have lead in their water, or if they have concerns but are unable to test, encourage using a water filter (sink or pitcher) labeled as “NSF certified” to remove lead.   
  • Eat healthy. Provide nutritional counseling on a well-balanced diet that includes a variety of foods that are high in calcium and iron. Educate them that kids with low iron levels are more likely to have higher blood lead levels. Advise them that foods with vitamin C, iron, and calcium may help keep lead out of the body. Click here for a printable factsheet you may share with families on a healthy diet to fight lead.   
  • Avoid certain children’s products and toys. Some toys, especially imported toys, antique toys, and toy jewelry, may contain lead. Advise parents to use caution when buying toys from discount or secondhand stores, as these may be more likely to contain lead. Advise parents to visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) web page for photos and descriptions of currently recalled products: https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls. Search by selecting “lead” in the hazard search box.  
  • Avoid using imported food, spices, cosmetics, or traditional medicines that may contain lead. Lead has been found in spices, supplements, foods, Ayurvedic, and other traditional medicines imported from certain countries. Encourage families to use caution with spices, cosmetics, and foods imported or purchased in another country. Encourage them to choose trusted brands based in countries with stricter lead regulations, such as the US or Canada. Encourage families to choose supplements or products that are third-party tested for lead or call companies to ask if they test for lead. Provide education on the potential for lead in certain traditional medicines or folk remedies. Click here to learn more about products from specific countries or cultural products that have been found to contain lead. https://www.cdc.gov/lead-prevention/prevention/foods-cosmetics-medicines.html