How Children Are Exposed

When lead paint begins to peel, flake or become lodged in baseboards and windowsills, children can ingest it. While engaging in normal hand-to-mouth activity, which is seen in the crawling and toddler stages of development, children may touch surfaces containing lead paint or lead paint dust then put their fingers in their mouths.

Children are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning because they retain larger amounts of lead than adults. Children, from nine to eighteen months old, absorb lead at a rate of five to ten times higher than adults. Additionally, because their bodies are smaller, a smaller amount of lead, ingested or inhaled, can result in a higher concentration of blood contamination.