Governor’s Children’s
Cabinet Makes Lead Poisoning Prevention A Priority
October 23-30, 2016 - National
Lead Poisoning Prevention Week
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[October 26, 2016]
SPRINGFIELD
– Governor Bruce Rauner’s Cabinet on Children and Youth recently
announced a statewide, cross-agency initiative to reduce children’s
exposure to lead. Lead poisoning is one of the most prevalent,
preventable, environmental health hazards and is known to contribute to
learning disabilities, developmental delays, and violent behavior.
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“There is no safe level of lead in the body. Children exposed to
high lead levels tend to suffer from life-long complications that
affect their ability to think, learn, or behave,” said Illinois
Department of Public Health Director Nirav D. Shah, M.D., J.D.
“Reducing blood lead levels among all Illinois children six years of
age or younger would reduce crime and increase on-time high school
graduation rates later in life.”
Compared to other states, Illinois remains among the highest for
percentage of children with elevated blood lead levels. Out of
approximately 270,000 Illinois children tested in 2014, more than
18,000 had blood lead levels at the federal public health
intervention level.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Oct/26/images/ads/current/best_friends_sda_120215.png) As one focus of the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet, lead exposure has
an impact on all of the other Cabinet subgroups. Reducing lead
exposure and decreasing the level at which children are eligible for
public health services would have a positive impact on educational
achievement. There are opportunities to connect home visiting
programs and other social service initiatives with expanded
lead-related activities, creating more robust services and a more
integrated social service delivery system.
Deteriorating lead-based paint remains the primary source of lead
exposure to children. Approximately 66 percent of Illinois housing
units were built prior to the residential lead paint ban of 1978.
Lead exposure can be significantly reduced by taking simple
precautions around the house. These include the following:
- Cleaning up paint chips and peeling paint by washing
- Washing floors, counter tops, and window sills weekly with
an all-purpose detergent or a detergent specifically formulated
to remove lead dust
- Using proper safety measures when renovating or remodeling
your house, like not using electric sanders or open flame
torches to remove paint or wallpaper
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Assuring that children and pregnant women do not
enter a work area until renovations are complete and the area
has been thoroughly cleaned
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Washing a child’s hands, mouth and face, and
toys often
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Allowing the cold water to run for several
minutes in the morning before using it for drinking, cooking, or
mixing infant formula in case lead pipes or solder is present
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Removing shoes when coming indoors so lead from
dust or soil is not tracked inside
Eating a well-balanced, low-fat diet that is high in calcium and
iron, which can help reduce lead absorbtion
The primary goals of the Illinois Lead Program include lead poisoning prevention
through community education and public awareness campaigns, identifying
lead-poisoned children, and providing prompt interventions to reduce blood lead
levels and improve health and developmental outcomes.
For more information about lead poisoning prevention, visit the IDPH website at
http://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/environmental-health-protection/lead-poisoning-prevention
[Illinois Department of Public
Health]
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