Lead is a serious public health hazard — a neurotoxin that damages the brain and nervous system, especially in young children. Exposure can delay growth and development and cause problems with learning, behavior, hearing and speech, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children can be poisoned by ingesting lead paint, lead-tainted water, soil, dust or other lead-based products. Lead poses the greatest risk to brain development, where damage can be irreversible, but medical treatment and nutrition changes can lower lead levels in blood. Homeowners have power to remove lead hazards from their home, if they have the resources. But renters rely on their landlords to take action. That doesn’t always happen. Here’s what to know if you’re a tenant concerned about lead in your home. Do you have feedback on Milwaukee NNS's reporting? Take our survey to let us know how we're doing! No level of lead is considered safe. Young children are particularly vulnerable to lead and may face higher levels of exposure because they often put their hands or other objects in their mouths, including paint chips. Drinking water can make up 20% of a person’s total exposure to lead, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — or up to 60% for infants consuming mostly mixed formula. Children with elevated lead levels do not typically act sick, meaning blood tests are the only way to confirm a problem. Adults can be lead poisoned, too. Lead is a particular concern for pregnant women because exposure could harm a developing fetus. If your child has elevated lead levels, get yourself tested, too. Most insurance plans cover lead testing. You may be asked to complete a second test if the first one shows high lead levels. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services recommends universal testing for children living in Milwaukee or Racine due to the high proportion of old, potentially hazardous housing in those communities. Those children should be tested at least three times before age 3 — at 1 year, 18 months and 2 years. Children ages 3 to 5 years should be tested annually if they meet at least one of the following criteria: they live in a home built before 1950 or one built before 1978 with recent or ongoing renovations; they have a sibling or playmate with lead poisoning; they are enrolled in the Medicaid or the Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Program or are uninsured; they have no record of a prior test. Health care providers should weigh the above criteria when considering whether a child living outside of Milwaukee or Racine should be tested around ages 1 and 2 years, or between ages 3 and 6 years, DHS says. Find more details here. If you’re living in Milwaukee and concerned about child lead exposure contact the Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers Milwaukee office at 414-672-1353. It provides free lead testing for elevated blood levels and information about how to permanently remove lead hazards from homes. Children’s Wisconsin is piloting a testing program focusing on Milwaukee’s North Side neighborhoods. The hospital is partnering with MacCanon Brown Homeless Sanctuary, which offers free lead testing for children under 10 years old on select Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Residents should call 414-404-0900, extension 5, or email [email protected], to confirm testing dates. The federal government banned lead paint in homes built after 1978, and federal law requires landlords to disclose certain information to tenants who move into a building that predates that ban. That includes anything known about the property’s lead paint hazards, a pamphlet and a lead disclosure agreement to the lease. If you’re considering moving into a home built before 1978, ask the property owner about any lead hazards in the home. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services established the Lead Safe Homes Program, which helps remove lead hazards in homes. You may qualify if you are: enrolled in Medicaid or BadgerCare Plus, part of a family with children under 19, are pregnant or live with someone who is pregnant. The state requires local health department investigations and case management services for children when one venous blood test detects at least 20 mcg/dL per deciliter of lead — or if two tests conducted at least 90 days apart find lead at 15 mcg/dL. That includes inspecting properties for lead and requiring landlords to remove hazards. The Milwaukee Health Department is using federal American Rescue Plan dollars to fund a pilot program that helps families with children who test between 10 and 14.9 mcg/dL. This includes lead abatement, education, lead safe kit distribution and nurse case management.