The care environments early childhood professionals provide are created with intention, love, and safety at their core. It is a top priority for young children and families to build trust with their care center or family care provider. Health and safety is a key aspect of this process. When considering possible hazards and inspection protocols, it is important to evaluate lead exposure. Although it has been decades since lead was identified as a highly toxic metal for people, with young children particularly susceptible to the worst aspects of lead poisoning, it is still found in some older buildings and water sources. 

If you are considering a new child care location, you can consider the risk of lead before building or launching your program. However, many programs and homes were constructed long before we had scientific research on lead and its pathways into the human body. No matter the size of your program or its financial situation, there are steps you can take to limit lead toxicity. The best way to protect children from lead in an existing space is to be aware of how exposure occurs and to know the safety precautions to take if lead is found. We will discuss two ways young children are exposed to lead; paint and water. You will learn how exposure occurs, what you can do to identify the presence and levels of lead, and what steps to take to reduce harm.

Protecting Young Children from Lead in Paint

Paint is one of the most common ways young children are poisoned by lead. Paint chips found on windows, toys, walls, and floors are attractive to small children who see the bright colors and ingest them. Lead-based paint has been found to contain 50% lead which can cause very high levels of lead in the blood. 

Lead paint was banned in residential and public buildings in the late 70s, however, because lead preserves paint and other substances for a very long time, lead paint can still be found on buildings built before 1980. For family care spaces and child care facilities built in or before this timeframe, thorough investigation and testing of paint inside and outside of the building is crucial.

Clean Water Action  provides a few common signs of potential lead paint exposure including:

• Teeth marks on window sills and cribs.
• A white powdering coating that is visible on hands after touching painted surfaces.
• Chipped or pealing on bathtubs and ceramic tile.

A good place to start is with the National Center for Healthy Housing’s Lead-Safe ToolKit training session on lead paint. You can utilize the Lead-Safe Toolkit as a family care provider or center provider to identify the specific areas you should focus on and access affordable resources for testing and remediation. Children’s Environmental Health Network and their Eco-Healthy Child Care® (EHCC) program partnered with NCHH to provide resources for early childhood education professionals and families that can help them avoid the dangers of lead poisoning at school and at home. 

Avoiding Lead Exposure through Water Sources

Lead gets into water through pipes, faucets, and service lines that contain lead. The lead is absorbed when these plumbing fixtures corrode over time. Although lead plumbing is no longer actively installed, in some towns, public spaces, and homes, older plumbing may contain traces of lead. Additionally, in some instances

Some factors that can impact the amount of lead found in water:

• Water temperature
• How long the water is exposed to lead piping
• Condition of the piping and plumbing

You can take steps to understand the exposure risk for your site and what steps to consider by taking the Eco-Healthy Child Care® e-learning course. Additionally, the National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC), and the National Center for Healthy Housing, along with the Children’s Environmental Health Network, developed two key resources; the Lead-Safe Toolkit for Home-Based Child Care and the Lead-Safe Toolkit for Center-Based Child Care. 

To find Environmental Protection Agency-approved water filers that reduce lead you can utilize this resource. 

Awareness and Action for Lead Safety in Early Care Environments

Every care provider wants the best for the children in their care. It can feel daunting to address lead concerns in soil, water, or paint, yet it is vital for the safety and health of young children. The first step is to gain the knowledge you need to act. Know that you are not alone and that there are resources and organizations that will partner with you in evaluating and supporting a lead-free environment for you and your child care environment. Take the first step today and help ensure a healthier tomorrow for all children. 

This is the third and final installment of a collaborative series with The Children’s Environmental Health Network’s Eco-Healthy Child Care® program to explore the realities of lead exposure, how to detect lead and accessible ways to protect your children and care environment from this harmful heavy metal.