|
If your children have been
exposed to lead, you can protect them by making sure they eat well.
Eating good foods will help their bodies fight lead poisoning. Children
get lead poisoning because they accidentally swallow small amounts of
lead or lead dust. Lead may be in the paint, dust, or soil in and around
the home, or in drinking water or food. Children may take in dangerous
amounts of lead because they often put their hands and other things in
their mouths. Lead can damage the brain and other organs in young
children.
|
|
Serve your
child at least three meals a day
|
|
Children have higher risk of
lead poisoning when: they have poor appetites they have poor
nutrition They do not eat regularly Poor nutrition and an empty stomach
make the body absorb more lead. Feed your child well-balanced meals. If
your child does not eat much at a time, let him or her eat smaller meals
more often.
|
|
Serve your
child healthy snacks
|
|
Healthy snacks help children with small appetites
get enough food. It is hard for children with small appetites to get enough
food.
|
|
Foods with Calcium and Iron Protect the Body Against Lead
|
|
Foods with iron will help
protect your child from lead poisoning by helping stop the lead from
being absorbed into the body. Vitamin C is important because it helps
the body absorb more iron.
|
|
|
Iron Sources
Beef
Liver
Kidney
Turkey
Oyster
Sardines
Game meat (deer)
Lamb
Greens
Spinach
Soy Beans
Dried beans
Dried peas |
Lentils
Tofu
Dried Prunes
Prune juice
Dried apricots
Dried peaches
Dried pears
Molasses
Wheat germ
Enriched bread
Iron-fortified cereal
Whole wheat bread |
Vitamin
C Sources
Oranges
Orange juice
Grapefruit
Grapefruit juice
Strawberries
Cantaloupe
Honeydew
Tangerine |
Tomatoes
Potatoes
Broccoli
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Red/Green peppers
Chili peppers
Summer squash |
|
|
The calcium in milk and other dairy
foods also helps prevent lead from being absorbed into the body. Children
need 2 to 3 servings of milk or other dairy foods a day. More servings
are not necessary. Children who drink too much milk are often not interested
in eating other healthy foods.
|
|
Calcium Sources
Milk
Yogurt
Cheese
Milk-based soup |
Pudding made with milk
Canned Salmon with bones
Canned Sardines with bones Tofu |
Healthy Snacks
These snack ideas can help your children get the nutrients
they need:
Cheese cubes
Saltine crackers with cheese
Melon cubes
Yogurt
Broccoli
Orange sections
Cereal with milk and wheat germ
Vegetables with yogurt dip or
cheese
Potatoes with cheese and vegetables
Milkshake with molasses
Pancakes with molasses
Ice cream topped with wheat
germ |
|
|
Non-food
Protection
|
|
- Always wash your
children's hands before they eat to wash off any lead dust.
- Keep areas clean
where your child lives, plays, eats and sleeps. Keep your children
from putting things that may contain lead in their mouths.
- Wash all toys,
pacifiers, and other things that your children may be tempted to put
in their mouths.
- Throw away food
that has fallen on the floor or ground. Water from faucets may have
lead in it.
- Let your water run
for at least 30 seconds before you use it for drinking or cooking.
- Do not use hot tap
water for cooking or drinking.
- Some imported
pottery, china, crystal and handmade ceramics have lead. Use only
lead-safe utensils for cooking or storing food and drink.
- Do not give your
children lead-containing folk medicine powders, such as greta and
azarcon.
- Ask your child's
doctor for a blood lead test.
|
|
For more information about
protecting your child from lead poisoning, call (602) 364-3118 (Phoenix)
or (800) 367-6412 (statewide).
Arizona Department of
Health Services, Office of Environmental Health
150 N. 18th Avenue,
Suite 430
Phoenix, AZ 85007
|
