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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteThe most effective approach is to find likely sources, stop children’s contact with them, and obtain professional or medical help when the hazard cannot be safely managed at home. In the United States, that means controlling dust from pre-1978 paint, checking drinking-water plumbing, choosing lower-mercury fish, storing and using chemicals correctly, testing for radon, and arranging a blood lead test when exposure is possible.
Start with the highest-impact actions
Children can be exposed without a parent seeing a spill or noticing symptoms. Crawling, playing on floors and putting hands or objects in the mouth increase contact with dust and soil. Infants fed formula also consume more water per unit of body weight than adults, so contaminants in tap water can contribute a larger relative exposure.
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- Check the home’s age and condition. If it was built before 1978, assume that painted surfaces may contain lead until an appropriate inspection says otherwise. Look especially at peeling paint, windows, doors, stairs and other surfaces that rub together.
- Control dust immediately. Keep children away from damaged paint, damp-wipe hard surfaces, wet-mop floors, wash hands and clean frequently used toys. Do not dry-sweep, sand or scrape suspected lead paint.
- Ask about drinking water. Call the water utility about the service line and its sampling program. Until the source is clarified, use cold water for drinking, cooking and preparing formula; boiling does not remove lead.
- Change food and product routines. Follow FDA/EPA fish advice, use a digital thermometer instead of a mercury model, and keep cleaners, pesticides and hobby materials in their original, secured containers.
- Test rather than guess. Use a home radon test kit, and ask a healthcare provider whether a child needs a blood lead test. A test measures a hazard or exposure; it does not itself remove the source.
Where lead can enter a child’s routine
Lead may come from paint and dust, plumbing and water, contaminated soil, some consumer goods, food or traditional remedies, and dust carried home from a job or hobby. The route determines the first useful action, so look at the whole routine rather than one product.
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Paint and household dust in older homes
In U.S. housing built before 1978, lead-based paint may remain on walls, trim, windows, doors and other structural components. Paint becomes a hazard when it deteriorates or when friction and impact create dust. A closed window that rubs against its frame can produce dust even when the wall looks intact. Chips and dust can settle on floors, toys and windowsills, where a young child can ingest them.
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EPA has reported that approximately three-quarters of U.S. homes built before 1978 still contain some lead-based paint (an EPA page published around 2013). CDC reported in a page dated August 25, 2026, that approximately 29 million U.S. housing units have lead-paint hazards and about 2.6 million of those are home to young children. These figures use different definitions and dates; neither predicts the condition of a particular house.
For a pre-1978 home, ask a state or local health department about paint and dust testing or hire a qualified lead professional. A paint inspection identifies whether lead is present on painted structural components. A risk assessment evaluates hazards such as deteriorated paint and lead dust and recommends controls. They are different services, so confirm which one a provider is offering.
Routine cleaning that limits exposure
- Wet-mop floors and damp-wipe windowsills, tables and other hard surfaces regularly.
- Wash children’s hands after outdoor play, before eating and at bedtime; wash frequently handled toys.
- Keep children away from peeling paint and from painted surfaces they chew or rub against.
- Maintain painted surfaces instead of allowing chips and flaking to accumulate.
- Do not dry-sweep suspected lead dust. Avoid casual sanding, scraping or vacuuming that can spread fine particles.
These measures manage settled dust; they do not make damaged paint safe to disturb. If visible deterioration continues, obtain official cleanup instructions and professional advice.
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Renovation, repairs and windows
Repair, remodeling and window replacement can create more dust than ordinary living. Use a contractor certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for work that disturbs lead paint. Keep children and pregnant people out of the work area, isolate the area as directed, and follow the contractor’s cleanup plan. Do not make do-it-yourself removal the default for old painted surfaces: the work may require containment, specialized cleaning and waste handling.
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Soil, shoes and take-home dust
Soil near older painted buildings, heavily traveled roads or industrial sources can contain lead. Children can track it indoors on shoes or ingest it while playing. Use a doormat, remove shoes at the door and wash hands after outdoor play. Cover bare soil in children’s play areas with clean material or another barrier recommended by local officials; do not assume that dark or ordinary-looking soil is uncontaminated.
A parent’s job or hobby can also bring dust home on clothing, footwear, skin, hair or equipment. This can occur with renovation, construction, painting, battery work, firing-range activities and other tasks involving lead. Change out of work clothes and shoes before interacting with children, wash separately when appropriate, and ask an occupational-health or local-health professional for a control plan if the activity continues.
Water and plumbing
Lead in tap water cannot be seen, tasted or smelled. Contact the local water utility and ask whether the property has a lead service line, lead-containing plumbing or a sampling program. Private-well households should ask their health department or a certified laboratory how to collect and analyze a sample; a utility’s information may not cover a private well.
- Use cold tap water for drinking, cooking and preparing infant formula. Hot water can contain higher lead concentrations.
- Boiling does not remove lead.
- If using a point-of-use filter, verify that the exact model is independently certified for NSF/ANSI 53 lead removal and NSF/ANSI 42 particulate removal. Certification for another contaminant is not evidence of lead reduction.
- Install, operate and replace the cartridge exactly as the model’s instructions specify. A neglected or incorrectly installed filter cannot be treated as protective.
Water treatment reduces a particular water exposure; it does not test a child and does not address paint, soil or other sources.
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Mercury: keep fish in the diet, choose species carefully
Mercury prevention is not a recommendation to avoid all fish. Fish provides nutrients, and FDA/EPA advice directs families toward variety and lower-mercury choices. The advice page, revised October 2021, recommends that children ages 1–11 eat two servings each week from the “Best Choices” category.
Age-based serving amounts
| Child’s age | Approximate serving size | FDA/EPA pattern |
|---|---|---|
| 1–3 years | 1 ounce | Two weekly servings from “Best Choices” |
| 4–7 years | 2 ounces | Two weekly servings from “Best Choices” |
| 8–10 years | 3 ounces | Two weekly servings from “Best Choices” |
| 11 years | 4 ounces | Two weekly servings from “Best Choices” |
The portions are average amounts from the FDA/EPA advice, not a prescription for every child. Follow the current chart for species, serving frequency and any updates.
Lower-mercury “Best Choices” examples
The list includes anchovies, Atlantic mackerel (not king mackerel), catfish, salmon, sardines, shrimp, tilapia and trout, among other options. Varying species helps avoid repeatedly choosing one source. Product labels and restaurant descriptions should identify the species when names such as “mackerel” could refer to different fish.
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FDA/EPA lists king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, Gulf of Mexico tilefish and bigeye tuna as “Choices to Avoid” because of higher mercury. Do not substitute a different species merely because it has a similar common name.
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Recreationally caught fish
Fish caught by family or friends can contain mercury or other contaminants specific to the waterway. Check the state, tribal or local fish advisory before serving it. If no advisory is available, use the interim advice on the FDA fish-consumption page and contact local authorities rather than inventing a universal serving rule. Advisories can include instructions to remove skin and fat, trim portions or limit frequency, depending on the contaminant.
Mercury thermometers and spills
Replace mercury thermometers with digital models. Keep children away from elemental mercury and never heat or burn it. Never vacuum a mercury spill: vacuuming spreads droplets and increases airborne contamination. Keep people and pets out of the area, avoid tracking it through the house, and contact state or local health or environmental officials for spill instructions. Cleanup may require trained personnel and specialized equipment.
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Many poisonings result from access or misuse rather than a mysterious household concentration. Store cleaners, pesticides, solvents, fuels and hobby chemicals where children cannot reach them, preferably in a locked cabinet. Keep every product in its original, labeled container; never pour a pesticide or cleaner into a beverage or food container.
- Read and follow the product label, including dilution, ventilation, protective equipment and re-entry instructions.
- Never mix cleaning products. Combinations such as chlorine bleach and ammonia can generate dangerous gases.
- Ventilate while cleaning as the label directs, and keep children and pets out of the area.
- After pesticide application, keep children, toys and pets away for the exact time stated on the label.
- Wash produce under running water before serving. Washing does not make an unlabeled chemical safe, but it removes surface dirt and some residues.
If a child may have swallowed or inhaled a product, follow the product’s emergency directions and contact poison-control or emergency services promptly. Do not induce vomiting unless a qualified professional tells you to.
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Radon and hazards revealed during remodeling
Radon testing
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can accumulate indoors without a smell or visible sign. EPA recommends testing a home with a radon test kit and fixing the home when the result is 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher. Confirm current EPA and state instructions when buying or deploying a kit, especially for test duration and placement.
A test kit measures radon; it does not mitigate it. If the result reaches the action level, use a qualified radon professional or state-approved program to select and verify a mitigation system. Do not infer that opening a window or running a fan permanently solves the problem.
Asbestos, lead and unknown materials
Before remodeling, find out whether old materials could contain lead, asbestos, mercury or another hazardous substance. Appearance alone cannot reliably identify these materials. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry notes that removal can require special care, training and equipment. Stop work and seek a qualified professional when suspect material is damaged or would be cut, sanded, drilled or demolished.
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When a child may have been exposed
Most people exposed to lead do not have symptoms. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states: No safe level of lead in children has been identified.
A blood lead test is the best way to determine whether a child has been exposed, and a healthcare provider can decide whether testing and follow-up are needed.
- Call the child’s healthcare provider and describe the possible source, timing and duration of exposure.
- Ask the local or state health department about testing, environmental investigation and services in your area.
- Do not wait for visible symptoms before asking about testing when exposure is plausible.
- Continue source control while awaiting advice: keep the child away from deteriorated paint or a contaminated area, use safer water practices and stop the activity that may be bringing dust home.
A balanced diet containing adequate calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin C may reduce the amount of lead absorbed, according to EPA, but nutrition does not remove lead from the environment or treat lead poisoning. Exposure reduction and medical guidance remain central.
Choosing the right kind of help
| Concern | Useful first contact | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-1978 paint or dust | Local or state health department; qualified lead professional | Whether the service is a paint inspection, risk assessment or lead-safe renovation; required certification |
| Lead in tap water | Water utility; certified water-testing laboratory | Service-line information, sampling method, laboratory accreditation and exact filter certification if treatment is used |
| Possible child exposure | Healthcare provider and health department | Whether a blood lead test and follow-up are indicated |
| Radon at or above 4 pCi/L | Qualified radon professional or state program | Mitigation design, verification testing and current state requirements |
| Mercury spill or suspect hazardous material | State or local health/environment officials; trained hazardous-material professional | Safe isolation, cleanup and disposal instructions; do not vacuum or improvise removal |
Services vary by state and locality. Ask what geographic area the provider covers, which certification applies to the specific job and whether the written report includes sampling results, hazards found and recommended controls.
Quick Recap
A practical home checklist
- Record the home’s construction year and any renovation dates.
- Inspect for peeling, chalking or friction damage without scraping or disturbing it.
- Set a wet-cleaning schedule for floors, windowsills and hard surfaces.
- Provide a hand-washing routine after outdoor play and before meals.
- Remove shoes at the entry and control bare soil in play areas.
- Ask the water utility about the service line and arrange testing when indicated.
- Use cold water for drinking, cooking and formula; never rely on boiling to remove lead.
- Check the exact species before serving fish and consult local advisories for recreational catches.
- Lock chemicals and pesticides, retain original labels and follow re-entry times.
- Replace mercury thermometers and keep a spill-response contact list.
- Test for radon and arrange mitigation at or above 4 pCi/L.
- Tell a clinician and the health department about suspected lead exposure, even when the child appears well.
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