Lead can be very harmful to young children. Lead poisoning can cause learning and behavior problems and damage to the nervous system. It may be hard to see any signs of lead poisoning. You may not notice that anything is wrong unless the amount of lead is very high. But lead poisoning at any level is serious, and you should take steps to protect your child. The Washington State Department of Health has two brochures that may help:

• Food Safety & Nutrition to Help Prevent Lead Poisoning in Children
• Lead and Your Kids-A Parent's Guide.

If your child has been tested for lead, you got the results as a blood lead level. This number is the amount of lead in your child's blood. It is measured in micrograms per deciliter of blood.

So what does it mean? The U.S. Centers for Disease Control have set four cutoff levels for the amount of lead in a child's blood. These four levels can help you understand how serious the lead problem is and what you can do about it.

Level 1: 0-9 Normal	Ask your doctor or health care provider if your child should be tested again later.
Level 2: 10-19 Border Zone	Level 2A: 10-14 Ask your doctor or health care provider about a follow-up test in three to four months to be sure the lead level is not going up. Level 2B: 15-19 You may be able to find and remove the main source of lead exposure. To find out how, read the brochure Lead and Your Kids-A Parent's Guide. Ask for help from your local health department. Make sure your child gets enough iron and calcium. Read the brochure Food Safety & Nutrition to Help Prevent Lead Poisoning in Children. Ask your doctor about getting follow-up tests every three to four months until the lead level stays below this range.
Level 3: 20-44 DangerZone	Children with this level of lead in their blood may have health problems, even if they do not show symptoms. An interview and a close look at your house and yard should be done by your local health department. They may be able to find the source of lead and advise you on what steps you can take to remove it. Get a medical exam for your child. Get follow-up tests until the amount of lead is well below this level. Other members of your household may also need to be tested.
Level 4: 45 or Higher Emergency Zone	This level of lead can cause serious damage and disability. Get immediate medical attention if the level is 70 or higher. Get a medical exam for your child. You may be advised to have your child: evaluated for learning or behavioral problems treated by a specialist. Washington State Poison Center Network has doctors who specialize in treating lead poisoning. Work with your local health department immediately to find and remove the sources of lead from your house and yard, from your neighborhood or at work. All members of your household may need to be tested.

• To get copies of the brochures
  
  • Food Safety & Nutrition to Help Prevent Lead Poisoning in Children
    
  • Lead and Your Kids- A Parent's Guide

Call or write:
Office of Toxic Substances
P.O. Box 47825
Olympia, WA 98504-7825


• For more information contact your local health department.
  
  
• To order additional copies of this publication, please call:
  1-888-586-9427