Overview

Lead poisoning occurs when you breathe or swallow too much lead. Lead is a metal that is sometimes found in food, dust, paint, and water. Too much lead in the body is especially bad for a young child. A child may swallow lead by eating chips of old paint or chewing on objects painted with lead-based paint.

Lead poisoning can cause a stomach ache, muscle weakness, and brain damage. It can slow a child's growth. And it can cause learning disabilities and behaviour and hearing problems. Lead also can cause these problems in an unborn baby (fetus).

Lead is found in the environment and can get into homes and workplaces through some products. Lead has been removed from many products, such as gasoline and new paints, but it can still be found in older paints and batteries. Many homes built before 1976 may have lead-based paint.

Removing lead from the home is the most important thing you can do to reduce further health damage from lead.

How can you care for your child at home?

• If your child takes medicine to remove lead from their body, have your child take the medicine exactly as prescribed. Call your doctor or nurse advice line if you think your child is having a problem with a medicine.
• If your home has lead pipes:
  • Do not cook with, drink, or make baby formula with water from the hot-water tap. Hot water pulls more lead out of pipes than cold water does. (It is okay to bathe or shower in hot water. That's because lead usually does not get into the body through the skin.)
  • Let cold water run for about a minute before using it for drinking or cooking.
  • Buy and use a water filter certified to remove lead.
• Feed your child healthy foods with plenty of iron and calcium. A healthy diet makes it harder for lead to get into the body. Yogurt, cheese, and some green vegetables, such as broccoli and kale, have calcium. Iron is found in meats, leafy green vegetables, raisins, peas, beans, lentils, and eggs. Make sure your child gets phosphorus, zinc, and vitamin C in their diet.

To prevent lead poisoning

• Have your home checked for lead. Talk to a local public health inspector or environmental health officer. You can also call the Standards Council of Canada at 1-613-238-3222 for more information and a list of resources in your area. Have all home remodelling or refinishing projects done by people who have experience in lead removal or control. Keep your family away from the home during the project.
• Wash your child's hands, bottles, toys, and pacifiers often.
• Do not let your child eat dirt or food that has fallen on the floor.
• Clean windowsills, door frames, and floors without carpet two times a week. Use warm, soapy water on a cloth or mop. Clean rugs with a vacuum that has a HEPA filter, if possible. Steam-clean carpets.
• Take off your shoes or wipe dirt off them before going into your home.
• Do not scrape, sand, or burn painted wood unless you are sure that it does not contain lead.
• If you know paint has lead in it, do not remove it yourself.
• If you have a hobby that uses lead (such as making stained glass), move your work space away from your home. Wash and change your clothes before getting in your car or returning home.

Storing and preparing food to lower the chance of lead poisoning

• If you reuse plastic bags to store food, make sure the printing is on the outside.
• Never store food in an opened metal can, especially if the can was not made in Canada or the United States. If there is lead in the metal or the solder, it can be released into the food once air gets into the can.
• Do not prepare, serve, or store food or drinks in ceramic pottery or crystal glasses unless you are sure they are lead-free.