Open AllClose All What is lead?
Lead is a naturally occurring metal found in small amounts in the earth’s crust. It was mined in Wisconsin and added as a stabilizing agent to products like:
- Gasoline
- Paint
- Plastics
- Varnish
What is lead poisoning?
When a person is exposed to lead, it can build up in the body, which is commonly referred to as lead poisoning or having an elevated blood lead level (EBLL). There is no safe level of lead in the body.
How can I be exposed to lead?
The primary source of elevated blood lead levels in the city of Milwaukee comes from the lead-based paint and household dust present in older homes. Other exposures can include:
- Soil
- Drinking water
- Imported jewelry and toys
- Antiques
- Imported dishes and traditional (“folk”) remedies
- Jobs or hobbies where the lead is involved
Who is most at risk for lead poisoning?
Lead can hurt anyone but, children between the ages of 0-6 are especially vulnerable because their growing bodies absorb lead faster than adults. Lead can damage the brain and other systems leading to:
- Developmental delays
- Learning Disabilities
- Reduced IQ and attention span
- A range of other health and behavioral effects
The damage of lead poisoning can last a lifetime and is also a concern for pregnant women. During pregnancy, lead is released from the mother’s bones along with calcium and passes from the mother to the fetus or the breastfeeding infant.
Click here for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services Childhood Lead Poisoning Data Explorer.
View Data Explorer
How do I know if my child has been exposed to lead?
Children with elevated blood lead levels don’t always look or act sick. The only way to know if your child has been exposed to lead is to get a blood test from their doctor. Consult with your doctor about lead testing, if you are pregnant or have a child under age 6. For more information review the CDC's recommendations on when to get your child tested.
View CDC Recommendations
Please note: Your healthcare provider or local clinic is the best place to get tested. Lead testing is paid for by most insurance plans. Testing for Medicaid-eligible children is required and paid for by Medicaid.
What are the impacts of lead exposure?
Lead exposure, even at low levels, has been shown to harm the developing brains and bodies of infants and young children. This includes a decreased intelligence or ability to learn, increased behavior problems, impaired school performance, increased juvenile delinquency, and increased childhood health problems such as speech and language delays, hearing problems, kidney damage, seizures, and in rare cases, death.
How do I prevent childhood lead exposure?
The best way to prevent childhood lead poisoning is to keep your children from contact with lead. Knowing the lead sources will also help your family keep your children away from possible lead hazards in their environments.
Lead and Paint
Lead dust is often found in older homes with deteriorating lead-based paint. This dust can settle on children’s fingers, toys, soil, and other surfaces, posing a significant risk. Even when covered by new paint, lead-based paint can break through, creating hazards. Additionally, children can be exposed to lead dust from varnished surfaces. Lead dust can also become airborne from activities like vacuuming, sweeping, or removing lead paint with a torch.
What You Can Do:
To protect your family, use duct tape to cover areas with chipping, peeling, or flaking paint, especially around windows, walls, and doors. This simple step helps prevent further exposure to harmful lead dust.
Lead and Soil
Lead can enter the soil from old lead-based paint on the outside of your home or from historical sources. When paint chips or peels, it falls onto the soil, creating toxic dust. Lead can also be introduced from busy roadways or old factories. To protect your children, avoid letting them play in bare soil.
What you Can do:
Cover the soil with grass or mulch if possible. Wash hands, body, toys, and bottles to remove dirt and dust, and always wash clothes with soap and water. Rinse fruits and vegetables under cold water for at least 1 minute to remove any dirt and dust.
Lead and Water
Lead is usually not found in source drinking water, but it can get in through damage to plumbing materials, especially in homes built before 1968 with lead pipes, fixtures, and solder (a material used to join pipes).
What You Can Do:
To reduce lead, use a certified lead-removing filter and replace it regularly. If you do not have a filter, run your cold tap water for 3 minutes before use.
Lead and Products
Certain products from outside the United States, such as medicinal remedies, toys, cosmetics, cookware, spices, candy, jewelry, and ammunition, may contain lead.
What you can do:
Avoid using products made outside the United States unless they have been tested for / do not contain lead
Visit DHS's other sources of lead webpage for more information on protecting your family from lead poisoning.