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Who is at risk of lead exposure
Children are most at risk for lead injuries because their bodies are still developing and because they tend to put things in their mouths that may have lead dust on them.
- Children are still developing
Until about age 6, young children do not have a fully developed "blood brain barrier." The blood brain barrier is the body's way of keeping harmful chemicals out of the brain, but it is not fully formed at birth and takes up to about six years to be fully protective. Without the blood brain barrier, the effects of lead are even more devastating. - Putting things in the mouth
Children, particularly young children, explore their world by touching and tasting everything they can get their hands on. It's a natural part of their development. Children also spend more time on the floor, outside in the dirt, and playing and exploring. So, if there is lead dust or dirt with lead in it in the environment, children will get it on their hands and fingers and into their mouths. And since children are short, they breathe near the floor and ground, closer to dirt and dust that may have lead in it. - People with pica
Pica is a condition where a person craves and eats non-food substances, including soil and dirt. Children under two eat non-food because they are exploring their world. However, when people over two years old do it and the craving lasts for at least a month or so, it is a condition is called pica.
- Newcomers and refugees
The United States banned lead in most paint and in gasoline by the mid-1980s, which dramatically reduced the amount of lead in the environment. Other countries, however, may still allow lead in these common products. It is very important that new arrivals, particularly children from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, be tested for the presence of lead in their blood.