Take a Quiz to See if Your Child is at Increased Risk of Lead Exposure

HONOLULU — Lead is a toxic metal that is dangerous to your health at any age — and there is no known safe level of lead in the blood. Oct. 19 to 25 is National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week and the Hawaiʻi Department of Health (DOH) Hawaiʻi Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (HI-CLPPP) created a simple quiz at lead.hawaii.gov to find out if the children in your life are at increased risk for lead exposure.

“Because keiki are still in the developmental stages, both mentally and physically, they are especially susceptible to the effects of lead exposure,” said Dr. Ruben Frescas Jr., chief of the DOH Children with Special Health Needs Branch. “Unknowingly, keiki may be exposed to sources of lead in their everyday environment at home and anywhere they play or receive care.”

Lead in dust and soil is the most common source of known exposure in Hawaiʻi, but jobs and hobbies are another significant source of concern. Lead is often present in the paint of older buildings constructed prior to 1978 and can also be found in fishing tackle, old toys, jewelry, cosmetics, antiques, souvenirs, keys, dishes, food, spices, tobacco and vaping products, artificial turf and water. 

“Lead poisoning is completely preventable,” Frescas said. “HI-CLPPP hopes that the lead risk quiz can inform and empower parents and caregivers about potential lead poisoning sources with recommendations that can immediately protect your keiki, including getting a blood lead level test from your healthcare provider.”

HI-CLPPP receives federal funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help the community prevent children from being exposed to lead; to identify children already exposed to lead so the source can be removed; and to link families to recommended services like Early Intervention (EI) and in-home residential investigations.

In children, lead can cause learning and behavior problems that can result in long-term negative effects throughout adulthood like increased delinquency, lower educational attainment and lower income. Most children with lead in their blood have no obvious symptoms until they start school, but research has shown that early intervention and rapid removal of the lead source can make a significant difference in how well children do in their school and personal lives.

In pregnant people, lead can damage a developing baby’s nervous system and has the potential to cause miscarriages and stillbirths. In adults, exposure to persistent levels of lead can cause serious health problems like anemia, kidney and brain damage, infertility in men and women, cancer, nerve and hearing damage and heart disease.

For parents and caregivers, you can take the lead risk quiz and learn more about lead poisoning prevention. For healthcare providers, you can access important information about when to test your patients and how to help them avoid lead exposure.

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