Category: Family Safety

Preparing for a baby

Preparing for a baby

Expectant parents can take several steps to protect themselves and their babies from lead hazards: Assume lead hazards in pre-1978 homes. Expectant parents living in a home built before 1978 should assume it has...

Keeping your children safe from lead hazards

Keeping your children safe from lead hazards

Here are some other ways to reduce lead exposure at home: Cover holes in the wall and chipping and peeling paint with duct tape or contact paper. Move beds, cribs, and playpens away from...

Testing for lead poisoning

Testing your child’s blood for lead is the best way to tell if there’s lead in his or her body. But remember that the best protection is to prevent your child from being lead...

Responding to lead poisoning

Some children with lead in their blood need follow-up care. In Illinois, children with at least 10 micrograms (µg/dL) per deciliter of lead are considered to have elevated levels of blood. In Chicago, children...

Effects of lead exposure during pregnancy

A pregnant woman’s past or present exposure to lead puts her unborn baby at risk. When she breathes in or swallows lead, it goes into her blood. Once the lead is in the bloodstream,...