Before we start each section, we’ll ask you a question to help you see how much you've learned.

Prevention is the only cure.

Your child deserves a future full of possibility. But hidden lead can cause permanent harm to their growing mind and body—damage that stays with them forever. You have the power to stop it.

• Keeping homes clean and dust‑free. A clean home is a child’s best shield-simple habits like washing hands and wet-dusting can stop invisible lead before it ever reaches your little one.
• Maintaining the surfaces where children play clean every day can make the difference between a healthy child and one with developmental problems.
• Keeping children away from areas where people fix cars, melt metal, or break down old batteries.

• Washing children’s hands and their toys often.
• Check homes for peeling or chipping paint. Keep floors and windowsills clean of paint chips and dust. It may be possible to reduce the risk by covering or removing lead paint. However, renovations must be done very carefully to make sure dust does not settle on toys, floors, or other items children use.
• Using lead‑free products when possible. Check labels for “lead-free” certifications on toys, cookware, cosmetics and other everyday items.

• Test your household water and use a filter if needed. Always use cold tap water for baby formula, hot water can pull lead from pipes. Warm the water after pouring it.

Ensuring good nutrition with foods rich in iron, calcium and vitamin C can help reduce how much the body absorbs.

Remember, there is no safe level of lead. By making these small changes, you are protecting your child’s brain and their bright future.

You are already acting by learning this.