Central California Alliance for Health | Living Healthy | March 2021

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTHY is published for the members and community partners of CENTRAL CALIFORNIA ALLIANCE FOR HEALTH, 1600 Green Hills Road, Suite 101, Scotts Valley, CA 95066, telephone 831-430-5500 or 800-700-3874, ext. 5505, website www.ccah-alliance.org. Information in LIVING HEALTHY comes from a wide range of medical experts. If you have any concerns or questions about specific content that may affect your health, please contact your health care provider. Models may be used in photos and illustrations. 2021 © Coffey Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Quality and Health Programs Supervisors Desirre Herrera and Mao Moua Quality and Health Programs Manager Deborah Pineda www.ccah-alliance.org Lead can be found in many places inside and outside your home. Lead can hurt your child, making it hard to learn, pay attention and behave. Most children who have lead poisoning do not look or act sick. Your child’s doctors should screen for risk factors that may result in lead exposure and test your child’s blood lead level at their 12-month and 24-month visit. The only way to know for sure if your child has been exposed to lead is with a blood test. If you think that your child has been exposed to lead, ask your child’s doctor about the lead test. Risk factors for lead exposure can include: What is lead screening for children and why is it important? ● Dishes, pots and water crocks that are worn or very old. ● Items to cook or store food in that are from a discount or flea market, made of crystal, or made outside the USA. ● Food or spices like imported chapulines (grasshoppers), roasted black ants or turmeric. ● Candies containing tamarind, chili powder or salt that are imported from Mexico, Malaysia, China or India. ● Some traditional remedies, like Azarcon, Greta or Ayurvedic remedies. ● Cosmetics such as kohl, suma or kajal. ● Ceremonial powders. ● Some toys, jewelry or other objects. ● Soil found near older homes. Steps to make your home safer from lead 1. Keep your children away from old windows, old porches and areas with chipped or peeling paint. If you rent your home, let your landlord know if paint is chipped or peeling. Landlords are legally required to repair lead problems found on their property. 2. Use cold-flushed tap water for mixing formula, drinking or cooking. If you are in an older home, run the water for several minutes before using it in the morning, and start with cold water for drinking or cooking. 3. Clean your home regularly. Wipe down floors and other level surfaces with a damp mop or sponge. Take shoes off at the door to help reduce bringing dirt inside. 4. Teach your children to wash their hands, especially before eating. Wash pacifiers and toys regularly. 5. Keep clean. If your work or hobbies involve lead, change your clothes and shoes and take a shower when finished. 6. Eat healthy. A good diet can help your child absorb less lead.