Lead Poisoning in Children

Lead poisoning has been a significant problem recently, whether it be lead levels in water or problems with lead in paint. High levels of lead in paint that was used in old homes has caused many cases of lead poisoning in young children in Buffalo.

The Lead Problem in Buffalo

Almost 500 cases of lead poisoning in children were found from 2009-2012. In the three most at risk zip codes, 14213, 14211, and 14215, the lead levels in children were found to be too high. The health department has since been focusing on these zip codes as well as at-risk homes where there have been documented cases of lead poisoning.

At least nine zip codes across Erie County, including several areas in Buffalo, have the highest lead levels across the state. As of February 2016, 14% of children in Erie County have tested positive for high levels of lead. Lead poisoning is especially still a problem in eastern Buffalo.

Preventing Lead Poisoning

If your home was built before 1978, when lead was routinely used in paint, your family may be at risk of lead exposure. Contact the Erie County, NY Department of Health to see if your home can be evaluated for lead.

There are a few things you can do to protect your family, especially if you have children that are three years old or younger.

• Give your child Vitamins with Iron daily.
• Good nutrition.
• Wash hands before meals and snacks.  
• Use a wet cloth to clean windowsills and walls
• Prevent your children from chewing on paint chips or windowsills
• Avoid sanding or heating anything that could contain lead based paint
• Stop any water damage to painted surfaces that could cause the paint to peel
• Adding a new layer of paint may help reduce the risk

If you have concerns about your children’s health, contact Delaware Pediatrics today or get in touch with the health department.

Categorized in: News

This post was written by Delaware Pediatrics