The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is recognizing National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week by encouraging families to take steps to protect children from lead exposure.
The awareness campaign comes just months after Illinois implemented universal lead testing requirements for children on July 1st.
According to IDPH, hundreds of Illinois children are found to have elevated levels of lead in their blood each year. Lead exposure has been linked to developmental delays, learning difficulties, and other serious health problems, particularly among young children.
IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra says the new testing requirements are an important step toward identifying children who may have been exposed to lead.
“Universal lead testing is an essential tool for identifying and helping children who have been exposed to lead,” Vohra said. “It’s equally important to identify and remove sources of lead exposure before a child is in harm’s way.”
Health officials say lead exposure can occur through deteriorating paint, contaminated dust and soil, drinking water, and certain imported products.
To help reduce the risk, IDPH recommends that homeowners regularly clean floors, countertops, and windowsills with soap and water, promptly address peeling or chipping paint, and use proper safety precautions during home renovations.
Parents are also encouraged to frequently wash children’s hands, faces, and toys, remove shoes before entering the home to prevent tracking contaminated soil indoors, and provide children with a balanced diet rich in calcium and iron to help reduce lead absorption.
Residents should also consider having their drinking water tested for lead and use only cold tap water for drinking, cooking, and preparing infant formula.
Officials caution that lead may also be present in certain imported toys, pottery, cosmetics, traditional remedies, and ceremonial powders.
IDPH emphasizes that preventing exposure is just as important as identifying elevated blood lead levels through testing.
Additional information about lead poisoning prevention, testing, and ways to protect children is available through the Illinois Department of Public Health website at dph.illinois.gov.