At a glance
Each year, National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW) brings together individuals, organizations, industry, and state, tribal, local, and territorial governments to increase lead poisoning prevention awareness to reduce childhood exposure to lead.
2026 NLPPW Information
NLPPW takes place October 25–31, 2026.
Each year, CDC, EPA, and HUD collaborate to create comprehensive resources for communities.
The 2026 theme, "Keep Kids Safe from Lead," focuses on three key messages:
- Get the Facts: Learn about lead hazards in your environment.
- Get Your Child Tested: Ensure early detection through a blood lead test.
- Get Your Home Tested: Identify and address potential lead sources.
Social Media Outreach and Key Messages
Join @CDCgov, @EPA, and @HUDgov in sharing the #NLPPW2026 Key Messages on your social media to help spark the conversation about lead. For 2026 NLPPW, you could retweet or share messages sent from the EPA, CDC, and HUD social media accounts.
Get the Facts
Lead is highly toxic, especially to developing minds and bodies. Even small amounts can potentially cause the following health effects:
- Delayed growth and development
- Lower IQ and learning difficulties
- Brain and nervous system damage
- Hearing, speech, and behavioral problems
Children younger than 6 are especially susceptible because their bodies are still developing, and they tend to put hands or objects in their mouths. HUD estimates that about 3.3 million American households with children under 6 have lead exposure hazards from lead in deteriorated paint, dust, or soil. Lead can also contaminate water.
Lead can get into the body by
- Breathing in lead dust, especially during renovations or repairs in older housing
- Swallowing lead dust on food, surfaces, floors, or windowsills
- Eating paint chips or lead-contaminated soil
- Drinking water contaminated by lead pipes or fixtures
- Contact with certain consumer products (toys, cosmetics, spices, traditional remedies, imported pottery)
Children are at greater risk if they live in or visit a home built before the 1978 ban on lead in residential paint, especially if paint isn't well maintained, or if they live with adults whose jobs or hobbies involve lead.
Landlords must disclose known lead-based paint hazards to tenants and sellers must disclose to buyers prior to signing any lease or sales contract for homes built before 1978, as required by the Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Rule.
Get Your Child Tested
A blood test is the best way to find out if a child has lead poisoning. Many affected children look and act healthy, with no visible signs or symptoms.
Blood lead tests are required for
- Children enrolled in Medicaid at ages 12 and 24 months
- Children enrolled in Medicaid who are between 24–72 months if no prior test
Blood lead tests are recommended for
- Children ages 12–24 months in higher-risk areas or populations that are at higher risk
- Children or family members with known lead exposure
- Children required under state/local health testing plans
Ask your healthcare provider to explain results including how they compare to CDC's blood lead reference value (BLRV) of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter, which identifies children with higher levels than most U.S. children. CDC provides recommended actions based on blood lead levels for children.
Get Your Home Tested
First, determine the construction year of your home — homes built before 1978 may have lead-based paint.
If planning a renovation, repair, or painting project in a home built before 1978:
- Have an inspection by a certified lead-based paint inspector or risk assessor.
- Hire certified contractors trained in lead-safe work practices, or become certified if you plan to do the work yourself.
- Use DIY lead-safe work practices if doing the work yourself, except involving removal of lead-based paint. Avoid DIY removal of lead-based paint. Use EPA's do-it-yourself (DIY) lead-safe work practices for home renovation projects if you decide to do the work yourself.
Whether or not you're renovating:
- If buying or renting a pre-1978 home, sellers and landlords must disclose known lead-based paint information.
- To check for lead in your drinking water, contact your local health department or water company for testing.
Additional Resources
- EH Nexus: Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Podcast – Episode 1, Teaching Data to Talk
- 5 things you can do: information on how to help lower elevated blood lead levels (en Español)
- All children can be exposed to lead: real-world examples of situations where children have been exposed to lead (printable PDF)
- Blood lead levels in children: fact sheet with information on blood lead levels in children
- How to prevent lead poisoning in children: common sources of lead and steps to reduce your child's risk of lead exposure. (printable PDFs in English and en Español)
- Know the facts: facts and information on lead poisoning prevention. (printable PDFs in English and en Español)
- Are you pregnant or planning to be? Prevent lead poisoning. Learn about the dangers of lead and lead poisoning for pregnant women from CDC (and a fact sheet available in English and Spanish).
- Fact sheets, infographics, social media images, videos and more from CDC for childhood lead poisoning information.
- Information about lead exposure and lead poisoning from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
- EPA's Lead in Drinking Water infographic. Learn basic information about sources of lead in drinking water, suggestions for reducing exposure, and information about replacing lead service lines.
- Happy, Healthy, Lead-Free Me is a children's book aimed at engaging children and educating parents on lead poisoning prevention and the importance of pediatric lead level testing developed by the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services.
- Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home: EPA, HUD, and CPSC pamphlet available in multiple languages
- National Lead Information Center: 1-800-424-LEAD (5323), TTY 711.
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