October 15, 2024
Lead exposure, especially for young children, can sometimes lead to lasting, serious health damages, according to the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH).
“We may not all realize how toxic lead can be, especially for young children,” said Forrest Sharp, Blood Lead Prevention Program manager and epidemiologist with WDH. “If a young child breathes in or swallows lead, it can cause delayed growth and development, lower IQ and learning issues. Lead can damage the brain and nervous system, which may result in hearing, speech and behavior problems.”
“The harms children can experience from lead exposure may not have obvious signs or symptoms,” Sharp said. “Young children are more likely to experience lead’s negative effects because their bodies are still developing and they absorb more lead per body size. We recommended testing children for lead at 12 and 24 months.”
Sharp said 8.2 percent of Wyoming children under six were tested for lead in 2023. “The percentage is increasing, but we would like to see it much higher,” he said.
There are various causes of lead poisoning. Children and adults most often get lead into their body by ingesting or inhaling lead dust or from eating paint chips or soil with lead.
Sharp noted the most common source for Wyoming cases is lead-based paint used in older homes built before 1978. For homes built before 1978, Sharp said it can be a good idea to hire a certified inspector or risk assessor to check for lead hazards.
Other recommended actions to help prevent lead exposure at home include:
- Fixing peeling or chipping lead-based paint
- Regularly cleaning surfaces using wet methods
- Washing children’s hands, pacifiers and toys
- Removing shoes before entering the house
- Washing clothes and showering immediately after lead-related work or hobbies
Another potential source of lead exposure can be hunting and firearm use due to certain types of ammunition.
“Eating game meat harvested with lead bullets obviously increases the risk of lead poisoning as lead bullets can easily break into fragments when they strike an animal or object,” Sharp said. “Using lead-free ammunition is a recommended option in addition to ensuring good ventilation within indoor shooting ranges.”
To learn more about lead poisoning issues, residents are invited to participate in a series of educational webinars from federal government experts:
- Leave Lead Behind: How to Protect Your Family from Exposure: Join CDC Physician Dr. Arthur Chang, MD and Health Communication Specialist Noëlle Kachinsky, MBA on October 23 from 11 a.m.–12 p.m. for a webinar to learn more about how to prevent lead exposure, the health effects of lead exposure, what to do if a child has been exposed to lead and historical national trends for lead levels. Register here.
- Lead-Free Communities Initiative: The Road to Lead Exposure Elimination: Join CDC Public Health Advisor Quanza Brooks-Griffin, MPA on October 24 from 12–1 p.m. for a webinar to learn more about the Lead-Free Communities initiative and ways our toolkit can help get your organization involved in reducing lead exposure. Register here.
- Know Your Rights! Federal Lead-based Paint Regulations: If you lease or own a pre-1978 house, join EPA and HUD on October 21 from 4–5:30 p.m. for a webinar to learn more about your rights under the lead-based paint disclosure rule and the renovation, repair and painting rules, including how you can report violations of those rules. Register here.
- Understanding Lead: Join EPA October 22 from 12–1 p.m. for a live webinar about lead, its impacts, and actions that can be taken to reduce potential lead exposures and lead poisoning. Register here.
- Información Sobre el Plomo: Join EPA October 23 from 12–1 p.m. for a live webinar in Spanish about lead, its impacts and actions that can be taken to reduce potential lead exposures and lead poisoning. Register here.
- Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) Rule Awareness: Join EPA October 25 from 10–11 a.m. for a live presentation for contractors and local building code and enforcement officials about EPA’s RRP rule, which concerns RRP projects in homes, childcare facilities and preschools built before 1978. Register here.
- The Impact of Lead on Indoor Air and Children’s Health: Join EPA and HUD October 22 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. for a webinar about the impact of lead on indoor air quality, effects of lead on children and why they’re vulnerable along with sources of lead in the home and outdoors. Learn how to minimize your risk of lead exposure. Register here.
For more information about lead testing and prevention recommendations in Wyoming, please contact Sharp at forrest.sharp@wyo.gov or 307-777-5606. To subscribe to the Wyoming Lead Advisory Committee’s quarterly newsletter, please click here.
