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Putnam County Health Dept. is Participating in National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week
News this summer that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalled millions of toys after determining they contained excessive amounts of lead recently elevated the issue of childhood lead poisoning in the United States. In fact, the CDC estimates nearly half a million children living in the U.S. have blood lead levels high enough, to cause significant damage to their health.
Despite the ever-threatening presence of lead in the environment today, lead poisoning is entirely preventable. To increase awareness of childhood lead poisoning prevention, the Putnam County Department of Health is participating in National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW) October 21-27 along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
This year's NLPPW theme, " Protect Our Most Valuable Resource-Our Children," underscores the importance of preventing lead exposure before children are harmed to prevent lead poisoning's serious health effects, such as brain damage, learning and behavior problems or even death.
In commemoration of NLPPW, events such as state proclamations, free screenings, lead-awareness community events, and educational campaigns will. be conducted nationwide.
There are many ways parents can reduce a child's exposure to lead. First and foremost, hazards in a child's environment must be identified and controlled or removed safely. Sources of lead include:
-Dust and chips from paint in homes built before 1978
-Ground soil
-Various imported goods, such as toys, Mexican candy, traditional ceramics, children's jewelry
-Some drinking water
-Folk remedies
Contact the Putnam. County Department of Health at (845) 278-6558 for information on lead poisoning prevention.
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