Lead poisoning is one of the most common problems in kids living in urban areas. However, increasing awareness on the harmful effects have helped in preventing it to some extent in recent years. Lead has several adverse effects on your children. It can get into their body through various ways. You should keep a watch on the activities of your child, his food habits and hygiene to prevent lead poisoning from affecting him. A watchful eye on your kids can protect them from lead poisoning. Here are seven helpful tips that will shield your child from lead poisoning.

7 Tips for Protecting your Kids from Lead Poisoning

Eliminate hazardous elements from your home

The best way to deal with lead poisoning in kids is to get rid of the hazardous elements at your home. You need to ensure that the places where the kid plays around has no potential threat to him. The paints on your walls may be coming off, the surfaces of doors, windows, furniture and other objects in your home may be deteriorating and your child may be exposed to other sources of lead within your home itself. In these cases, you need to keep an eye on the living conditions in your home and take necessary measures to ensure that these elements do not pose a threat to your child.

Get regular medical screening for your kids

One of the most effective ways to keep your child safe from lead poisoning is to take him for regular checkups. When he gets screened for lead poisoning on a regular basis, it becomes possible to detect the slightest traces of lead in his body. You may have removed the hazardous substances from your home, but the threat remains constant. The child remains prone to lead poisoning from external sources. When your child undergoes regular checkups, the chances of eliminating the threat at the initial stage are more.

Check out where your kid plays

If your kid is fond of playing in outdoor areas, you need to check out where he is playing. Prolonged contact with mud often increases the chances of lead poisoning in kids. Therefore, you need to keep them away from dirt and muddy areas. The children should not play in bare soil. You may buy sandboxes for them, as an alternative. It will reduce the possibilities of lead poisoning.

Focus on the diet

The quantity of lead in the body of your child can be reduced by focussing on proper diet. Certain foods have the ability to absorb lead. You need to consult a paediatric dietician and get a concept about the right kind of food needed by your child. For instance, food containing calcium can absorb lead. Therefore, you need to know how much calcium you need to include in the diet of your child. Have a consultation with the experts to know the right food you should be providing for your child.

Keep your child away while renovating your buildings

The amount of exposure of your child to lead increases when your building is being renovated. You should keep away your child from these areas. Activities like nailing, drilling, demolitions of certain areas of walls and related activities disturb the surfaces in your house that are painted with lead. It increases the hazard of lead poisoning in your child. Even when you are installing electrical wires in your home by scraping the walls, take necessary measures to keep the child away from the site.

Check the pipes

Lead often enters the system of the child through drinking water. You should check out the pipes of your home regularly to prevent the problem. Lead often enters the water pipes through leaching. It is necessary to keep the water pipes protected, especially if your area is prone to lead poisoning.

Don’t let the child play with water too much

Water is one of the foremost carriers of lead. You should take necessary measures to ensure that the child does not play with water too much. Minimize your child’s exposure to water as much as possible. This is one of the most recommended tips to protect your child from lead poisoning.

Now, you have a better understanding of the primary sources of lead in and around your house. Keep away the threats from affecting the system of your child. Take these measures to eliminate the risks of lead poisoning in kids.

References:

http://www.parents.com/baby/safety/lead-poisoning/ways-to-prevent-lead-poisoning/

https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/ten-tips-protect-children-pesticides-and-lead-poisoning