Large doses of lead have long been known to cause brain damage in children, but now it has been found that even a small amount can be cause for concern.
Lead can stunt growth, cause attention deficits and hearing problems as well as learning and behavior problems.
It can also reduce intelligence and damage the kidneys.
The immune system is also damaged by lead exposure.
For this reason, you should be aware of where this toxic substance is found in your environment.
We all know that older homes' walls may be painted with paint that contains lead.
Even when an older homes' walls have been painted, the lead is still present in the layers beneath the new paint.
As the layers crack and chip, once again the old paint with lead is exposed.
You should also be careful of any older furniture or toys that may have lead paint on them.
Once the paint is cracked or flakes, it ends up on the floor, on baby's clothes, hands, and toys, and then eventually in his or her mouth.
If you have an older home that you suspect to have lead paint, the lead paint should be removed by a professional with your children safely away during the process.
Lead is also found in drinking water.
In older buildings and homes, plumbing pipes were either made of lead or soldered with lead.
A private testing company can be used to determine if your home's water has lead in it.
If it is suspected that your water may contain lead, a water purifier can be used or the pipes that contain lead can be removed.
Always use cold water when cooking because hot water pulls more lead from pipes.
Soil can contain lead too.
When old houses are demolished or chemicals are disposed of improperly, rain can carry the contaminants into the soil.
You may not know if there is lead in your soil where you live or where baby visits.
It would be wise not to allow baby to put soil in his or her mouth just in case.
You may not know this but printing inks used to make sales fliers and color illustrations contain lead.
Do not allow baby to play with newspapers or sales fliers and especially do not allow him or her to put them in his mouth.
Imported candies or foods especially from Mexico that contain chili or tamarind can contain lead.
People who work with lead in their workplace or as a hobby can bring lead particles home with them on their clothing and in their hair.
Some of the occupations that are at particular risk are people who work with plumbing, who are in construction, do welding, battery manufacturing, rubber production, and plastic production.
If you are concerned about levels of lead in and around your home, you can always ask your doctor to have your baby screened for lead.
If you live in a high risk area, you should definitely have your baby tested for lead levels.