"A ten-month old baby is at the DeVos Children’s Hospital after a severe case of lead poisoning that was discovered last week in Grand Rapids, " according to FOX-17 reporter Carl Apple. The Healthy Homes Coalition worked with Carl to get this story out, hoping to alert the community to the fact that lead poisoning is still a very real and present danger in Grand Rapids.
The CareSource Foundation recently awarded $7,500 to the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan to underwrite the cost of teaching parents how to check their homes for lead hazards. It is anticipated that more than 100 families will be able to benefit from this service.
What Makes a Lead-Safe Home?
Many houses and apartments built before 1978 have paint that is lead- based. Lead from paint chips and dust can pose serious health hazards if not taken care of properly.
Children are most often poisoned by lead dust and lead paint in older homes. Lead dust can come from disturbing areas with lead paint, opening and closing windows, and through normal wear and tear of painted areas. Lead dust falls to the floor and gets on children’s hands and toys. It enters their bodies when they put their hands or toys into their mouths.
Lead poisoning can cause health and behavior problems in children. It can make them less able to learn when they are at school. Lead poisoning can affect a child for a lifetime. The good news is there are things that can be done to keep children safe from lead.
Making sure children grow up in homes that are healthy and safe is everyone’s job! The Healthy Homes Coalition is a tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Learn more about specific ways you can help protect children. Connect with us today!
742 Franklin St. SE // Grand Rapids, MI 49507 // 616.241.3300 p // 616.241.3327 f // info@healthyhomescoalition.org
Special thanks to the Dyer-Ives Foundation for their generous support of this website. © 2006-2012 Healthy Homes Coalition.
