Lead Gets into the Body in Many Ways
Adults and children can get lead into their bodies if they:
• Breathe in lead dust (especially during activities such as renovations,
repairs, or painting that disturb painted surfaces).
• Swallow lead dust that has settled on food, food preparation surfaces,
and other places.
• Eat paint chips or soil that contains lead.
Lead is especially dangerous to children under the age of 6.
• At this age, children's brains
and nervous systems are
more sensitive to the
damaging effects of lead.
• Children's growing bodies
absorb more lead.
• Babies and young children
often put their hands
and other objects in their
mouths. These objects can
have lead dust on them.
Women of childbearing age should know that lead is dangerous to
a developing fetus.
• Women with a high lead level in their system before or during
pregnancy risk exposing the fetus to lead through the placenta
during fetal development.
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