Lead Poisoning
Lead can damage nearly every system in the human body, and has harmful effects on both adults and children. Lead is a serious environmental public health threat to children in Ohio. The Ohio Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (OHHLPPP) provides program funding, public and professional education, public health lead investigations, case management, data collection and analysis.The program addresses the needs of lead-poisoned children from birth through 72 months of age by assisting family members, medical care providers and other community members to reduce and prevent lead poisoning. OHHLPPP recognizes that children under the age of 36 months are at greatest risk for lead poisoning. Please refer to the specific guidance in the Lead Testing Requirements and High Risk Zip Codes document and Medical Management Recommendations document, to see if you may benefit from this program.
Potential Sources of Lead Exposure
Deteriorating lead-based paint is identified as the most probable cause of elevated blood lead levels in people in the vast majority of ODH’s environmental assessments. Elevated lead levels in drinking water is rarely the most probable cause of lead poisoning.
There are numerous potential sources of lead exposure:- Cosmetics containing lead
- Foods containing lead
- Hobbies that include using lead-based materials
- Lead dust
- Occupations that involve exposure to lead
- Soil contaminated with lead
- Toys containing lead such as lead-based paint
- Water with elevated lead levels
- Other sources
FAQs
Even small amounts of lead can cause learning and behavior problems in children. At very high blood levels lead poisoning can be fatal.
Children under the age of six and the developing fetus are especially vulnerable to health problems from exposure to lead, including elevated lead in drinking water.
Infants who drink formula prepared with lead contaminated water are especially at risk because their brains are rapidly developing and because they consume large volumes of formula relative to their body size.
In addition to drinking water, other important sources of exposure are peeling lead based paint and lead contaminated dust, lead contaminated soil, toys, cosmetics, pottery, and take home lead from some occupations.
Faucet Water Glass
Children under the age of six and the developing fetus are especially vulnerable to health problems from exposure to lead, including elevated lead in drinking water.
Infants who drink formula prepared with lead contaminated water are especially at risk because their brains are rapidly developing and because they consume large volumes of formula relative to their body size.
In addition to drinking water, other important sources of exposure are peeling lead based paint and lead contaminated dust, lead contaminated soil, toys, cosmetics, pottery, and take home lead from some occupations.
Faucet Water Glass
Some parts of the plumbing system may contain lead. These include most faucets, and some solders, fittings, connectors, and pipes. In older homes the service connector pipe from the water main to the home may be made of lead. Drinking water that comes in contact with these materials, which may be present in your home, high rise building, or the city’s water distribution system may be contaminated with lead.
Lead is rarely found in source water (groundwater or surface water) used for drinking water.
Lead is rarely found in source water (groundwater or surface water) used for drinking water.
Flush your water pipes before drinking or drawing water for cooking by running the water until it reaches the coldest temperature possible. This may take only a few seconds if water use in your home was heavy recently (i.e. showering), or it could take longer than a few minutes if the water sat in the pipes overnight (5 minutes).
Use only the cold water tap for drinking, cooking, and especially for making baby formula.
Use only the cold water tap for drinking, cooking, and especially for making baby formula.
The only way to know is to test your water. You cannot see, taste, or smell lead in water.
Testing the water is especially important for apartment dwellers, because flushing may not be effective in high rise buildings.
Testing the water is especially important for apartment dwellers, because flushing may not be effective in high rise buildings.
Contact Morrow County Health District, or your water supplier as some provide lead testing at no or low cost. Use a state accredited laboratory.
IF YOUR CHILD HAS A LEAD VALUE OF 5 OR GREATER, please contact Morrow County Health District Central Intake at 419-947-4014.
For more information, please contact:
Kelly Worstell
419-947-4014
kelly.worstell@morrowcountyhealth.org
For more information, please contact:
Kelly Worstell
419-947-4014
kelly.worstell@morrowcountyhealth.org