Lead Poisoning Overview

Lead poisoning is most common, and most damaging, in very young children. Exposure to lead-based paint is the primary source of lead poisoning. The health risks posed by lead-based paint are serious, particularly in our cities and urban areas where housing stock is the oldest. For a child, even the tiniest amount of lead-based paint is potentially hazardous if it begins to peel, chip, or otherwise generate dust. Since no amount of lead is safe in the body, brief exposure can lead to disastrous results.