Out of Sight, Still a Threat: A Complete Guide to Protecting Kids from Lead

Lead isn’t something most parents think about often—and that’s exactly why it remains so dangerous. Once widely used in paint, plumbing, gasoline, and other everyday products, lead was largely phased out in the United States decades ago. But that doesn’t mean it’s gone. In fact, it’s still present in many of the places children spend their time, from older homes and public housing to backyard soil and even playgrounds. Today, more than half of American children under six have detectable levels of lead in their blood—and a troubling number have levels high enough to cause long-term harm.

Most parents don’t know this, and even when they do, it’s hard to know what to do about it.

At Arnold & Itkin, we believe information is key. In this article, we aim to help parents understand where lead hazards come from, who’s responsible for addressing them, and how to take realistic steps to protect their children, especially in environments where families may not have full control over housing, schools, or infrastructure. We’ll walk through the latest data, explain how lead screening works, and offer a clear, practical checklist to help reduce risk.

Lead may be out of sight, but it shouldn’t be out of mind. With the right knowledge, families can protect their kids and push for the changes needed to make every home and community safer.

What Is Lead & Why Is It Dangerous for Kids?

Lead is a naturally occurring metal—and a potent neurotoxin—that was once considered a modern miracle. It made paint more durable, helped pipes last longer, and improved the efficiency of gasoline. For decades, it was used in everything from house paint and plumbing solder to toys, imported goods, cosmetics, ceramics, and even candy wrappers.

But what made lead so useful is exactly what makes it so dangerous: it doesn’t go away.

Once lead enters the body, it can remain in bones and tissues for decades. Even at low levels, lead exposure can cause irreversible damage to the brain and nervous system, leading to problems with development, learning, behavior, and long-term health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated clearly: no amount of lead is safe.

Why Are Children More Vulnerable?

Children are especially susceptible to lead poisoning for several reasons:

• Developing Bodies: A child’s brain and nervous system are still growing, and lead interferes with key neurological processes. Because of this, even small exposures can have outsized effects.
• Frequent Hand-to-Mouth Behavior: Babies and toddlers naturally explore their environments by crawling, touching, and putting objects in their mouths, making it easy for lead dust or particles to be ingested.
• Faster Absorption Rates: Children absorb more lead than adults when exposed. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), children can absorb up to four or five times more lead than adults with the same ingested dose.
• Longer-Term Impact: Since exposure happens early in life, children have more years for the effects of lead poisoning to unfold, leading to issues with school performance, attention, impulse control, and social development.

Common Symptoms of Lead Poisoning in Children

One of the most dangerous things about lead poisoning is how hard it can be to spot. Symptoms of lead poisoning in children often develop gradually and can mimic other childhood issues, like attention disorders or fatigue.

The most common signs include:

• Developmental delays
• Learning difficulties
• Irritability or behavioral issues
• Fatigue and sluggishness
• Abdominal pain or vomiting
• Loss of appetite and weight loss
• Constipation
• Hearing problems
• Seizures (in cases of very high exposure)

Notably, many children with elevated lead levels show no obvious symptoms at all, especially at lower exposure levels. That’s why routine screening and environmental testing are so critical.

Lead Exposure Before Birth

Lead can also pose risks before a child is even born. If a pregnant person has lead in their body, whether from past exposure or current environmental sources, it can pass through the placenta to the developing fetus.

This can result in:

• Premature birth
• Low birth weight
• Miscarriage or stillbirth
• Impaired fetal brain development
• Delayed growth

Pregnant women who suspect they’ve been exposed to lead should speak with their doctors immediately. A simple blood test can measure lead levels and help guide the next steps.

Where Is Lead Still Found Today?

Despite decades of public health efforts and regulatory bans, lead remains a persistent and widespread hazard in American homes, schools, playgrounds, and consumer products. While many parents assume lead is a thing of the past, the truth is far more unsettling: lead is still very much part of our everyday environment, especially in places where children live, learn, and play.

Older Homes & Public Housing

The most common source of lead exposure in the U.S. is lead-based paint in homes built before 1978, the year it was banned for residential use. Roughly 29 million U.S. housing units still contain lead paint hazards, according to the CDC. When that paint chips, peels, or deteriorates—as it often does in aging housing—it creates fine, invisible lead dust that can be inhaled or ingested by children. Even home renovations can stir up lead-laced dust if not done properly.

Children living in public housing and lower-income neighborhoods are disproportionately affected, since these areas often contain older buildings that haven’t been remediated. In fact, kids living in neighborhoods with homes built before 1950 are four times more likely to have elevated blood lead levels than those in newer communities.

Soil Near Roads, Airports & Industrial Sites

Before the U.S. phased out leaded gasoline in the 1980s and 90s, vehicle emissions released massive amounts of airborne lead that settled into soil. Today, children can still be exposed to lead when they play outside, track in dirt on their shoes, or touch contaminated soil in older neighborhoods, near highways, or around former industrial zones. Lead-contaminated soil is especially dangerous in urban areas and around homes with deteriorating exterior lead paint.

Water from Older Pipes & Plumbing Fixtures

Lead can enter drinking water when it leaches from old pipes, solder, and plumbing fixtures, especially in homes built before 1986. The Flint, Michigan water crisis highlighted how devastating this source of exposure can be, particularly for children. Even low levels of lead in water can accumulate in a child’s body over time, especially when baby formula or children’s food is prepared using contaminated tap water.

The EPA estimates that up to 9.2 million U.S. homes and buildings still receive water through lead pipes. While some cities have made efforts to replace them, the process is slow and expensive, and most water systems still rely on outdated infrastructure.

Imported Toys, Jewelry, Pottery & Cosmetics

Lead regulations vary drastically from country to country. Many imported children’s products—including toys, painted jewelry, cosmetics, and traditional pottery—contain illegal or unsafe amounts of lead. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) continues to issue recalls on these types of products every year.

Some notable examples include:

• Brightly colored children’s jewelry, especially from vending machines or discount stores
• Painted toys or figurines made overseas
• Traditional ceramics or pottery with leaded glaze
• Imported cosmetics such as kohl, kajal, or surma
• Certain imported candies, especially tamarind-based treats from Mexico
• Traditional remedies like greta and azarcon, used in some Latino communities to treat stomach issues, which can contain up to 90% lead

Wallpaper, Vinyl Mini-Blinds & Playground Equipment

Many parents don’t realize that lead hazards also exist in the background of everyday environments:

• Older wallpaper, especially if installed before 1978, may contain lead pigments. If deteriorating or disturbed, it can release lead dust.
• Vinyl mini blinds, particularly those manufactured in Asia before 1997, have been found to release lead dust as they degrade in sunlight.
• Metal slides, swings, and other playground structures may have been painted with lead-based paints. Child safety and advocacy groups, like Keenan’s Kids Foundation, have identified lead paint in playgrounds across the country, including in affluent neighborhoods.

Food & Water Storage Containers

Lead is also sometimes found in common household items, such as:

• Ceramic dishware and bowls with decorative glazes not labeled “lead-free”
• Antique or imported cookware
• Painted metal food containers
• Traditional Mexican pottery used for cooking or storing food

When acidic foods (like tomato sauce or citrus) are stored in these containers, they can leach lead into the food over time.

The main thing to remember is that lead isn’t gone; it’s just hiding in plain sight. From peeling paint and old pipes to toys and dust, the environments children grow up in can pose unseen but serious risks. That’s why understanding where lead is found today is such an important first step in protecting our kids.

Across the U.S., Child Lead Levels Remain Alarmingly High

Despite decades of public awareness campaigns and government interventions, lead exposure in children remains a deeply rooted and largely invisible public health issue in the United States. Data from recent studies show just how widespread the problem still is—and how urgently we need stronger protections.

Over Half of Young Children Show Detectable Lead in Their Blood

In one of the largest studies of its kind, researchers at Quest Diagnostics and Boston Children’s Hospital analyzed blood samples from 1.2 million children under the age of six.

The findings, published in 2021, were sobering:

• One in two (50.5%) of the children under the age of 6 tested had detectable levels of lead in their blood.
• Another 2% had lead levels at or above the previous CDC reference value of 5 micrograms per deciliter (µg/dL), placing them in the top tier for lead exposure risk.

To put this in perspective, remember, there is no “safe” level of lead for children. Even low levels have been associated with developmental delays, behavioral problems, and cognitive impairments. That more than half of children tested had any measurable amount of lead highlights the staggering scale of the issue.

A State-by-State Breakdown: Where Is the Risk of Lead Exposure Highest?

While lead exposure is a national issue, some states are facing more acute challenges than others. According to the 2021 study, Nebraska had the highest percentage of children with detectable lead in their blood at 83%, followed closely by Missouri (82%), Michigan (78%), Iowa (76%), and Utah (73%).

Six states had elevated blood lead levels (above 5 µg/dL) at more than double the national rate of 2%:

• Nebraska (6%)
• Ohio (5%)
• Pennsylvania (5%)
• Missouri (5%)
• Michigan (5%)
• Wisconsin (4%)

These numbers highlight a disturbing reality: children in certain areas—often with older infrastructure and limited access to testing—face significantly higher risks simply because of where they live.

The Blood Lead Reference Value: What It Is & What It Isn’t

In 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) introduced a tool called the Blood Lead Reference Value (BLRV) to help identify children with elevated lead exposure. The BLRV is set at the 97.5th percentile of blood lead levels among U.S. children, meaning it represents the highest 2.5% of levels found in national surveys.

In 2021, the CDC officially lowered the BLRV from 5 µg/dL to 3.5 µg/dL, based on new data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The decision followed a unanimous recommendation from the Federal Lead Exposure and Prevention Advisory Committee (LEPAC), and acknowledged growing scientific evidence that even low levels of lead can harm developing brains.

However, the BLRV is not a regulatory standard. It’s a guideline, a reference point for physicians and public health officials. This means:

• Doctors aren’t legally required to act when a child’s lead level exceeds the BLRV.
• Housing authorities, landlords, and manufacturers are not held to any enforceable limit tied to this threshold.

This gap between guidance and enforceable policy is one of the reasons lead remains such a persistent threat, especially in underserved communities.

The Cost of Inaction

Beyond the immeasurable toll on children’s health and potential, lead poisoning carries a significant economic burden.

A 2017 study by the Health Impact Project estimated that childhood lead exposure costs the U.S. $84 billion annually in:

• Lost lifetime productivity
• Increased healthcare and special education expenses
• Greater social assistance needs
• Premature mortality

This staggering figure reflects not just the impact on individuals and families, but also the systemic costs of failing to address an entirely preventable public health crisis.

Lead Exposure in Children: What Parents Should Look Out For

One of the most troubling aspects of lead poisoning is how challenging it can be to spot. Many children with elevated lead levels initially show no obvious symptoms, which makes early detection difficult, especially without regular screening. When symptoms do appear, they are often subtle and easily mistaken for other childhood issues.

Early signs of lead exposure in children can include:

• Irritability or mood changes
• Loss of appetite
• Fatigue or low energy
• Developmental delays, particularly in speech or motor skills
• Learning difficulties or decreased academic performance
• Abdominal pain or constipation
• Hearing loss
• Weight loss or slowed growth

These symptoms tend to develop gradually and can overlap with many other pediatric conditions. That’s why lead exposure often goes undiagnosed until levels have reached a dangerous threshold, at which point some of the damage may already be permanent.

Why Early Detection Matters

Lead poisoning can affect nearly every system in a child’s body, with the brain and nervous system being especially vulnerable. Children under the age of six are at the highest risk because their bodies are still developing, and they absorb lead more easily than adults.

Even low levels of lead have been linked to:

• Decreased IQ and cognitive performance
• Behavioral issues, such as aggression or attention problems
• Poor impulse control
• Long-term challenges in school and social environments

Unfortunately, once the effects of lead exposure are evident, treatment options are limited. While chelation therapy can be used in severe cases, there is no cure for the developmental damage lead can cause.

Screening Is the Best Line of Defense

Because symptoms may not appear until it’s too late, proactive screening is critical. Pediatricians can perform a simple blood test to measure your child’s lead levels.

This test is:

• Non-invasive
• Relatively affordable (typically around $25)
• Often covered by Medicaid and many private insurance plans

While some states require lead testing for children enrolled in public assistance programs, many do not have universal mandates. Parents can ask for the test, especially if their child lives in or regularly visits a home built before 1978 or has any of the risk factors mentioned earlier.

Routine lead testing is strongly recommended:

• Annually for the first three years of life
• Every five years after a child turns three, depending on continued risk factors

Regular pediatric checkups also offer an opportunity to talk to your child’s doctor about lead exposure risks in your home, daycare, or neighborhood. If your child’s screening detects lead, your doctor can recommend what to do next based on the detected lead level.

Reducing Lead Exposure Risk Is a Community Responsibility

When it comes to protecting children from lead, parents are often made to feel like they bear the full burden. But while parents can certainly take proactive steps, the truth is that lead exposure is a public health issue that demands shared accountability. The lead risks children face often originate in environments beyond a parent’s control: deteriorating housing, aging infrastructure, imported products, or public facilities that haven’t been properly maintained.

These are not individual oversights; they are systemic failures.

Here are some things to know:

• Landlords have a legal and ethical obligation to maintain safe housing. In many states, they are required to disclose the presence of lead paint or hazards in rental properties, particularly those built before 1978.
• Manufacturers and importers must be held accountable for ensuring the safety of consumer goods, including toys, ceramics, cosmetics, and traditional remedies that may still contain dangerous levels of lead.
• Housing authorities and school districts are responsible for inspecting and remediating older buildings where children live and learn.
• Local, state, and federal governments play a critical role in monitoring, regulating, and funding lead prevention and abatement efforts.

Legislative Efforts Are Underway, But More Is Needed

In recent years, there has been growing recognition of the need to address and manage lead exposure more aggressively.

Congress and state legislatures have introduced bills aimed at:

• Lowering the legal thresholds for actionable lead levels in blood and water
• Increasing funding for lead abatement in public housing
• Expanding childhood screening programs
• Improving enforcement of lead-safe housing standards

But progress has been slow, and many of these initiatives remain underfunded or stalled in committee. Until stronger policies are enacted and enforced, much of the responsibility still falls to families—often those with the fewest resources to bear it.

What Parents Can Do: Practical Steps to Reduce Risk

Even though the root causes of lead exposure are systemic, there are important steps families can take to reduce risk and stay informed.

Here’s a practical checklist for concerned parents and caregivers:

✔️ Ask your child’s doctor to test for lead exposure, beginning during annual visits before age three. A simple blood test can detect exposure early. It’s especially important if your child lives in an older home, attends daycare in an older building, or shows symptoms of lead exposure, like fatigue or developmental delays.

✔️ Have your home inspected by an EPA-certified professional. Lead paint, soil, and plumbing should all be checked, especially if your home was built before 1978. Avoid DIY lead test kits, which are often unreliable. Find a certified inspector by calling the National Lead Information Center at 1-800-424-LEAD.

✔️ Use NSF-certified filters on all drinking water taps. These filters are certified to remove lead. You can also request your Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) from your local water provider—it’s required by the EPA and will tell you if lead is an issue in your area.

✔️ Be cautious with imported goods and hand-me-downs. Avoid old toys, ceramics, costume jewelry, vinyl mini-blinds, or cookware from countries with lax safety regulations. These items may contain unsafe levels of lead.

✔️ Regularly wet-clean windowsills, floors, and baseboards. Lead-contaminated dust is a major source of exposure in older homes. Use a damp cloth or mop to reduce airborne particles. Never dry-dust or vacuum peeling paint.

✔️ Watch for chipped or peeling paint, especially in older homes. Paint flakes and dust can be hazardous if ingested or inhaled. Keep children away from affected areas and arrange for professional remediation if needed.

✔️ Inspect playgrounds and school facilities. Public play structures or schools built before 1978 may still contain lead paint, especially on metal surfaces. Don’t assume newer neighborhoods are exempt—lead hazards have been found even in new and affluent districts.

✔️ Expectant mothers: get screened if you suspect exposure. Lead can cross the placenta and affect unborn babies. If you’ve lived in or renovated an older home, or used imported products with questionable ingredients, talk to your OB-GYN about a blood lead level test.

Holding Others Accountable When Lead Exposure Could Have (and Should Have) Been Prevented

When a child is exposed to lead, it’s easy for families to blame themselves. But in many cases, exposure could—and should—have been prevented by another party.

This might be the case if:

• A landlord ignored peeling paint in a known at-risk property.
• A school district failed to test or maintain an older building.
• A manufacturer or retailer produced or sold toys or cookware that violated safety standards.
• A housing authority or city agency looked the other way, despite repeated warnings.

In these cases, families may have legal options. If a child has suffered serious harm due to lead poisoning, and that harm traces back to negligence or failure to act, those responsible can and should be held accountable.

Legal action not only helps affected families—it can force meaningful change. From safer housing standards to product recalls, accountability drives prevention. Awareness is the first step. Accountability is what turns it into action.

Protecting Kids Together

Lead exposure is a complex issue, but protecting children doesn’t require perfection or expertise. It just takes awareness, action, and support.

As a parent, you don’t have to fix broken systems on your own. You’re not expected to spot invisible hazards or compensate for decades of failed oversight. But you can take simple, meaningful steps to reduce your child’s risk:

• Ask for a lead test at their next pediatric visit.
• Wipe down windowsills and check for peeling paint.
• Call your water provider and ask for a Consumer Confidence Report.

Start with just one or two changes this week. Each step—no matter how small—can make a difference. And remember: you’re not alone. Pediatricians, inspectors, public health departments, and legal advocates are all working toward the same goal: a safer, healthier future for all children.

Lead Safety Resources for Parents

📞 National Lead Information Center (NLIC)
Get answers to your lead-related questions or find certified inspectors near you.
Call: 1-800-424-LEAD (5323)
Website: www.epa.gov/lead

🏠 Find an EPA-Certified Lead Inspector
Locate a professional who can test your home’s paint, dust, soil, and water. You can find an inspector and more information about lead abatement on the EPA's website: https://cdxapps.epa.gov/ocspp-oppt-lead/

🚰 Check Your Drinking Water Quality
Request your local Consumer Confidence Report to see if your water contains lead.
Find your utility’s report: Contact your city’s water provider or search: “[Your City] + Consumer Confidence Report”

🧪 Lead Testing for Children
Ask your pediatrician for a blood lead test, especially for kids under three. Many states offer free or discounted testing for eligible families.

🔍 Product Recalls & Lead Warnings
Check for recalled toys, cosmetics, and other products with hazardous lead levels.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls